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Marine News - cont'd. Another new ferry is in the works for Michigan. The Federal Highway Adm ini s tration has approved a grant of $2, 400, 000 to the Michigan Department of Transportation for construction of a 20 vehicle, 300 passenger ferry to be operated between Charlevoix and Beaver Island by the Beaver Island Boat Com pany. Remaining on the route will be the 1963-built BEAVER ISLANDER, but the new boat will replace the 1945-built SOUTH SHORE, and will make the crossing in a bit less than two hours. The Thomas Edison Parkway seawall at Port Huron has received yet another im pact from a passing freighter. The seventh hole in the wall since its completion in 1987 was caused by the Russian salty ADMIRAL US A K OV which struck the seawall at 1: 30 p. m. on Sunday, November 6th, after losing head way in the strong current while upbound with a cargo of steel and magnesium for South Chicago. On November 8th, Joseph Gayton and his son, Steven Gayton, of Harrow, Ontario, were each fined $500 in connection with the ice difficulties of the tug PRINCESS NO. 1 on Lake Erie last February, and her sinking at her A m herstburg dock on her return from that trip. For leaving Erieau on February 9th, bound for Windsor, against Coast Guard advice, and without a certified master on board, the pair pleaded guilty to Ontario provincial court charges. It would appear that the Canadian Lock at Sault Ste. Marie will be returned to operation, but not in the manner that was anticipated. A deal, unanimously approved in principle by City Council on October 24th, will see a new 40 by 250 foot concrete lock created inside the historic stone lock that was closed in 1987 when a wall buckled, for use for recreational purposes. Based on a November 1st start, design work should be completed by October 15, 1995, the contract for construction awarded by January 31, 1996, and construction completed by October 31, 1996, with the lock scheduled to open to traffic in the spring of 1997. There would be participation by federal, provincial and municipal governments, with Ottawa and Queen's Park splitting the $12 million rebuilding costs and the operation of the lock being split 75/25 between Ottawa and the city. There are those who consider it unfortunate that the historic old lock is not being restored to active s e r v ice . The City of Windsor has agreed to allow an excursion ship company to moor a vessel on the riverfront east of the foot of Ouellette Avenue, from May 1st to October 1st each year, in return for dockage and land rental fees. It is expected that Windsor Cruise Lines Ltd. will purchase a 550 passenger vessel, for the commencement of service in 1995. So far, there has been no identification of the vessel planned for the service. Last issue, we mentioned the intent of the Great Lakes Historical Society to divest itself of its Cleveland museum ship WILLIAM G. MATHER as a conse quence of the city refusing to renew the Society's lease on docking facili ties. Things may be looking up for the MATHER, however, as the following report in the autumn issue of the G. L. H . S. newsletter "The Chadburn" would seem to indicate: "Negotiations are continuing with a Cleveland group re garding financial and operational responsibility for the continued use of the ship at Cleveland as a museum. We are also meeting and talking with rep resentatives from other ports who are interested in the ship and its con tinued operation in the capacity of a museum... " We have also heard it suggested that the city might have made a premature decision on the lease situation without realizing the ship's support. In any event, we hope that things work out so that the MATHER may continue as a museum. McAsphalt Industries Limited has sold its 1968-built, 266-foot barge McAS PHALT 201 to a Wilmington, Delaware, firm identified as Sargeant Marine, for use in the Gulf of Mexico. During October, she was towed up the lakes to Es canaba, Michigan, where Basic Marine will refit her for her new owner's service.