Crew members posed Wednesday, March 8, with stainless AJR "wheels" at
Island Ferry Terminal Building: (L to R) Front, Joel Gunnlaugsson; Con McDonald.
Back: Craig Krueger; Pete Nikolai; Hoyt Purinton; Erik Foss; Tully Ellefson;
Janet Hanlin; Bill Jorgenson; Bill Schutz; and Rich Ellefson.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

Yesterday a pair of stainless ice propellers were displayed near the Ferry Terminal front entrance.  These are spares that have been in storage since their purchase a little over a year ago.   Rather than continue to store them inside a workshop building, Joel Gunnlaugsson and Con McDonald got busy fabricating a stand on which the two wheels could be publicly displayed.

The propellers were purchased through Kahlengberg Bros. of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, long a provider of propellers, shafts and couplings in the commercial marine market.  Having the spares means, potentially, avoiding a wait of many months to get the right propellers, or propeller, should damage occur for any reason to the Arni J. Richter's current set.  Each propeller measures 66-inches in diameter, with a pitch of 42".  These are robust, "ice class" propellers, meaning the flukes and hub are built to withstand most reasonable ice work without incurring damage.  Yet, one never knows what can happen, and having a damaged propeller, while serious at any time, would result in utmost strain if it meant the Arni J. Richter was out of commission for any length of time in winter.  They were purchased as "insurance" for approximately the cost of a new luxury automobile.

Weighing an estimated #1500 each, they are not easily moved, and the stand that was fabricated in the shop by Joel and Con is equally sturdy, so the propellers become shiny yard art, and not a hazard for curious children.

Pair of Ice Class-C propellers:
bored, keyed for six-inch propeller shafts,
with anti-singing edges. *
Ready to install when/if the occasion arises.

*       *         *

When setting up this group photo, which I believe represents each of the crew who are engaged in  providing ferry service this winter, I was gently reminded there hadn't been a blog since late January.  It's nice to know that some people read them and keep track!  I'll have to improve on my habits, is all I can say.

The 2017 winter has managed to slide past us, almost, but not without giving us the extremes of snowstorms, near-record melting temperatures, icing conditions on trees and power lines, and just these past two days, storm-force winds.

Each scheduled ferry trip was made Tuesday and Wednesday, and according to Captain Bill Jorgenson, yesterday's trip (Wednesday's) went well.  Waves and spray in the door, but otherwise good docking in the westerly gusts at Northport.  Little-to-no ice remains in the upper Bay, except for a few strips of loose ice here and there, and in shallow shoreline indentations.  The Detroit Harbor west channel was starting to fill up with ice moving in from the shore beyond the entrance light, drifting along Willow Point near Rutledges.  It was Bill's observation that this ice might have left Gills Rock's harbor Tuesday, pushed by the then SSW winds toward Washington Island.

Heavy rains that preceded the wind knocked down nearly all evidence of snow and ice, on roads and in fields, but we've been at that juncture several times before this winter, only to have it covered in snow once again.  Maybe, this time we'll start to see the greening of spring and the beginning bloom of flowers.

It was the earliest we'd ever seen a snake out and about in mid-February, when Mary Jo nearly stumbled across a two-foot long, brown, northern water snake.  It was crawling along, more or less on the same path we were as we walked in the woods near our home.  This encounter occurred during one of those foggy, rainy periods, when snowbanks had been reduced to icy mounds, and the ground still had frost.  What inspired this 2-ft. snake to make an excursion at this time of winter when temperature was in the mid-30s?  More to the point, why did it choose to be seen by us, disturbing what we considered a winter's walk?  Mary Jo, who dislikes snakes and who responded by shrieking, has one more reason to believe that she seems to attract such creatures.

Spring break is about to begin for our Island Schools.  Tournament college basketball is already underway.  Indoors, those projects intended for completion during times of adverse winter weather need to move along more rapidly in order to be completed before summer.

-  Dick Purinton

*  Anti-singing edges are trailing blade edges beveled to reduce the "hum" or "singing," vibrations that occur when power load is taken off the propeller.

ISLAND WATERFRONT - Then and Now - Crew - Part XIX

Picking up food orders at the dock.  Erik Foss in red vest.  Back to
camera, Chris Fosco (of Fosco's Famous For Nothing Restaurant)
and looking into camera, Tom Harvey.   (taken 1980)
The Ferry Line's freight truck would limp along for another 30+ years,
sometimes with suspect brakes, sharp springs poking through the
driver's side upholstery, but never requiring a key for the ignition.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

When looking back on various milestones of the past 75 years, it's hard to pick one event, one achievement, or one decision as being the most important, with the greatest long-term benefit, either to the ferry business, or to the Island as a whole.

Instead, each new vessel christened, each major dock development or renovation, each dredging project, each new or improved shore facility builds on preceding work.  So, it's not just difficult, but impossible to say what was the most outstanding accomplishment.

Most important, however, and not to be forgotten, is the continuum of men and women who carried out their work, often behind the scenes, performing the daily tasks that actually make the ferries operable, who collect each payment, balance the accounts, provide answers to questions, direct drivers, handle freight, packages and mail, and accomplish those thousand-and-one things that support such ferry service 365 days a year.

This posting will reproduce photos of some of our crew, past and present, who may also be found on WIFL's Facebook page when they're posted in future days and weeks.

There are new faces who come to work at the docks each summer, often young people hired to staff the ferries, freight garage and ticket booths.  But, we're also pleased to name so many captains and crew who have made careers with the Ferry Line,  some with as many as three or four decades, with loads of experience behind them.  

It might be hard to beat the 60+ years of an Arni Richter, but I think of Dave Johnson and Nathan Gunnlaugsson, two captains who each had 40 years of service.   Based on unofficial data, at one time Nathan may have held the record for most crossings of Death's Door, but that record will probably be eclipsed by Bill Jorgenson (if it hasn't already been beaten) who spent the greatest share of his employment time on board a ferry (vs. working on shore).   Erik Foss, still a youngster, is, like Bill, fast approaching 40 years with the Ferry Line - longer if you count his time helping around the dock when doubling as a bike shop attendant.  Bill Schutz, office manager, recently started on his 36th year of service.

So, with no particular order in mind, here are some of the faces, past and present, of people as they worked for the Ferry Line, or who staffed the mainland Chamber of Commerce information booth, or who were our frequent customers - after all, our customers are who we are working for - captured in photos.

Many thanks, perhaps belated, for all you've done to keep the ferries and traffic moving!

- Dick Purinton

Jon Gunnlaugson, Arni, Nathan Gunnlaugsson

Dave Johnson

Vi Llewellyn and Gordon Wedel

Sylvia (Hansen) Andersen - 1953

Steve Kalms, WIFL's Peninsula mailman

Brothers Con and Ray McDonald

Joel Gunnlaugsson - 1993

Beatrice (Anderson) Mott - 1986

Trucker Bob Bouche, Algoma

Greg Carr

Pete Nikolai and Lydia Foss (soon to be Nikolai)

Fred Hankwitz

Dave Johnson, Jr.

Kim Hansen and Janet Hanlin

Gil Truax and Randy Andrus - 1993

Alvin Cornell 

Carol (Swensen) Fruin - 1986

Bill Schutz - 1995

Gordon Steiner - 1989

Kurt Meyer Jr.

Lance Ellefson - 1993

Al Stelter - Ken Berggren - 2005

Getty Foss - 2005

Dave Johnson, Al Thiele, Rich Ellefson

Matt Kahlscheuer - 2006

Island Pizza neighbors Dan and Ethan Mathy with Nick Young

Erik Foss - 2004

Eric Bonow - 2003

Jim Rose

John Rose - Island Chamber - 1993

Bill Crance - 2000

Mark Dewey - 1995

Larry Goodlet - 1995

Arni Foss - 1993

Joan Blair - 1999

Jens Jacobsen

Our posting began with this truck, a late 40s Chev, purchased long ago from Egg 
Harbor Farms and used for freight until … about 2011.   Loaded with a hardware 
shipment, the hood is up, an indication of problems.