Edgar B. Speer Refloated
On April 8th the 1000-footer Edgar B. Speer was pulled free from
Graham Shoal, just east of the Mackinac Bridge, in the morning.
She had been caught in the ice, and dragged until she bottomed
out.
The Purvis tug Reliance arrived on the scene about 9 a.m. and
began working to pull the Speer free. The big tug was able to
free the grounded thousand-footer about 10:30 a.m. and the Speer
went to anchor near Round Island for inspections.
On Monday afternoon the Speer had become stuck in ice and was
pushed aground by ice and high winds. The crew reported a soft
landing on the shoal and did not know the ship was aground until
they could no longer maneuver. The Soo Evening News reported that
the crew heard none of the usual sounds of grounding on the mixed
sand and gravel shoal. It is hopeful that the damage will be minimal
due to the bottom materials and the slow speed at which she grounded.
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