Hi Mike, I don't know if you have done this yet but how about cleaning ballest tanks on a great lakes ship. I posted a question about this on boatnerd.com and recieved many interesting answers. It maybe an idea for a show. I sure wouldn't want to do it but hey you climbed to the top of the Mackinaw Bridge and I wouldn't do that either. Thanks and great show.

It would be a great show! The job is described as "A filthy job that isn't for the weak or squeamish." Right up Mike's alley! There was a good thread on boatnerd.com if you search from the main site under "Ballast Tank" there are a number of responses from past and current sailors describing what a dirty job it is.

This one was my favorite: http://search.boatnerd.com

Great idea, Mike should join the freighter from the J.W. Westcott mailboat in Detroit. They do crew changes while moving down the Detroit River along side the vessel.

Here is a contact list for the Great Lakes shipping companies from Boatnerd http://www.boatnerd.com/facts-figures/address.htm

I agree that Mike should join a vessel an work onboard doing a few different tasks. If he rides for a whole trip, why not right? Another nice and dirty job is working down in the unloading tunnel, especially during coal or pellet fines unloads. Ballast tanks are definitely a dirty job with little light and a lot of mud. As a note, joining a vessel at the mail boat is a bad idea as it can be dangerous and most captains really prefer to avoid using it for crew changes. Once you add into the equation that the camera crew needs to haul a bunch of gear onboard, it seems much more safe to do the whole thing while the vessel is docked.

I agree that it would be much safer to have Mike & his crew go aboard while the ship is tied up alng side. Anyone ever try to exit the Welland Canal lock "Emergency Tunnels"?
My Buddy & I did in 1957. Scarry event.
Cleaning out the Bilges after unloading grain was a real "Stinker"!
Have fun Mike.

Mike, If you liked the Big Mac Bridge, you'll love a Great Lakes freighter. The ballast tanks and cargo holds need cleaning often for obviously dirty reasons. Hope to see you on the Lakes soon.
Rick

I really dont think its a very good idea. While it would make a great show and all of us who have cleaned ballast tanks know how dirty they are, but letting everyone know what is being sumped back into the water would draw a lot of unwanted attention. We are already being regulated to death. We dont need anymore enviro's sticking there noses into our business. Next thing you know, we will be cleaning the decks with feather dusters, sumping the tunnel into holding tanks and shoveling ballast mud into buckets to be trucked off.