A GREAT LAKES SAILOR
Part 5
by Janis Stein

Join in the continuation as our Bad Axe-area sailor reacts quickly, administering first aid to a severely burned deckhand.

On one occasion, the Mate and his ship were down in Cleveland when a storm hit. Where a captain took cover often depended on what direction the wind was blowing. Seeking shelter behind Pt. aux Pins, the captain ordered the anchors to drop and, there they waited for the storm to pass. Sometimes it was better to sit tight if possible, rather than try to get into port and do more damage to the ship in the process.

For the most part, the Mate sailed from the first of April to around Thanksgiving time, but in 1978, winter navigation became a reality. Serving as a Second Mate aboard the Leon Fraser, the sailor wondered what challenges beginning the season on January 7 might pose. Manufacturers could already see dollar signs in the form of savings; with the ships running year around, they would no longer have to stock pile ore over the winter months, rather the ore would be continually delivered as needed. Many were curious to see whether the notion would prove to be cost effective.

To make winter navigation possible, the Coast Guard brought two ice breakers down from the Arctic to assist the Mackinaw in keeping the shipping channels open. The Arctic cutters named the Westwind and the Eastwind had a little deeper draft than the Mackinaw. These two ice breakers, from the windlass class of cutters and built primarily for Arctic operations and serving previously as ocean ice breakers, found navigating through the shallow rivers a bit challenging. Though there was never any serious damage to either Arctic ice breaker, they did run aground a time or two in the rivers in their attempt to break the ice within the channel.

Other problems, too, arose when freighters were laid up in ice for as long as a week, waiting patiently for one of the ice breakers to clear their path. While they waited, the freighter and her crew continued to burn fuel to keep the engines operating and to run the generators. Instead of making a round trip in the usual one-week time span, one trip now took three weeks. After a few years, it was deemed winter navigation was just not a feasible solution, so it was decided the boats would operate as long as they could during open winters and when ice became a major problem, the shipping season would end.

Most of the sailor's days were good ones but, as with any job, there were trying times as well. Uncooperative weather caused the sailor more than one gray hair; loading in rainy, windy conditions were less than desirable. On those days, each time the cables were released to shift up the dock a bit, the wind blowing with a fury, blew the freighter off the dock's side. Patience and persistence would eventually win out, gaining the sailor even more experience in the process.

Even more difficult were the unexpected and occasionally life-threatening injuries that popped up from time to time. On one occasion, a deckhand was working under the smokestack. Unexpectedly, scalding water poured out from one of the stack's basins, burning the back side of the deckhand's head, shoulders and back.

Since calling 9-1-1 was not an option, the Mate was summoned instead. The deckhand reacted instinctively, removing his t-shirt immediately. In doing so, however, a portion of the deckhand's skin came off right along with the shirt. The Mate, armed with a first aid kit not adequate for the trauma at hand, treated the deckhand for burns and shock. As the Mate's training kicked in, he ignored any emotions that threatened to surface.

The Mate sprayed the burnt area with a burn spray to prevent infection, the spray stored in the emergency first aid kit. Once he had the deckhand lying on his stomach in bed, he elevated the foot of his bed and laid a cool towel on his back. As the towel heated, the Mate continually added more cool water.

On Lake Erie and four hours away from any port, the Mate remained with his shipmate, offering comfort and a steady hand. Helicopter flight care was not yet an option, but the captain radioed the Coast Guard in advance, the Coast Guard sending out a small boat to pick him up when they neared port and then transporting him to the closest hospital.

The deckhand recovered in the hospital for three weeks, and after additional recuperation time at home, the deckhand returned to the lakes. The deckhand sought out the Mate to thank him for his care and knowledge, for the hospital doctor had told him the emergency treatment was performed well.

Before the sailor retired, he would sail on 32 Great Lakes freighters, including the William A. Irvin, the Arthur M. Anderson and the Edwin H. Gott. The Irvin transported important representatives from such companies as John Deere and Whirlpool. With three decks, there was plenty of room to accommodate these businessmen; they even had their own galley so there was no need to walk to the aft end to eat. Rather than sending her to the scrap heap upon completion of her service, the William A. Irvin functions as a museum in Duluth, Minnesota.

Be sure to look for the conclusion next month when our featured sailor recalls unloading the 1000-footers from the pilothouse, communicating with walkie-talkies.

© 2007 Stein Expressions, LLC