In my last post on the Aquarama/Marine Star, I had lifted two still photos of the ship being scrapped from a YouTube video. Peter Hartung, creator of the video, was kind enough to send me the hi-res versions.
All photos are courtesy of Mr. Selim San, Izmir (Turkey). Click on the thumbnail to see the full version.
Very cool…small world nowadays…
I was aboard the Aquarama when she was docked in Sarnia Canada years ago. I take pics of lake freighters and am updating my database. Sad to see this beautiful vessel being scrapped. Could someone tell me where she is being scrapped. I see reference to Turkey. Is this in Aliaga by chance. Thanks in advance.
It was scrapped in Aliaga.
How sad… Sailed on her in 1956 out of Detroit. Many happy memories. Unfortunately – that’s all that remains of her!
Mike SunViking2
It is sad to see her being scraped.As a young boy I had two day trips her to Detroit and back to Cleveland…in the 50′s Goodbye to an old friend…..Mike…..
I can hardly take watching this. I know its just a hunk of metal, but it represents such an attachment of emotions it is difficult to take. It is hard to see soemthing like this die:(
Thank you Derek for keeping up with this. IT is truly a service.
I guess I am missing something.
How would this boat get to Turkey to be salvaged in as bad of shape as it was.
Was it towed? I was aboard this boat in Detroit when it was called the Aquarama.
The day I was on it it had difficulty turning around and struck the wall of the river in Windsor.
I would see the Aquarama frequently going up and down the Detroit River as a kid.
Yes, it was towed to Turkey.
It is truly sad to look at those photos – even in her dilapidated condition, she was graceful and elegant. She was docked at Sarnia, ON for quite a while and I remember going down to the docks to see her. For those interested, I have scanned the entire Aquarama Inaugural Cruise booklet, along with some photos, to my Flickr.com site – look them up!
I grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, the History of that Beautiful Ship is so sad. She was towed up the Chicago waterway after having her entire upper works removed in Mississippi, to Muskegon, where Industrialist Max McKee and his brother invested over $8 million dollars. Her original duty was to replace the Aging SS Milwaukee Clipper in the run across Lake Michigan from Musk. to Milwaukee, but talks broke down and this was cancelled when Milwaukee refused to pay $500,000 to dredge thier channel to handle her very deep draft. The Cleveland to Detroit route was chosen. Long story short, I used to sit for hours looking up at her wishing she could sail again. When she finally did, it was being towed out the Muskegon channel and into a hot August sunset, but not before I had the Great opportunity of touring her Grandiure. I Loved that ship, and she is only a Nice Memory to share with my Grandchildren. Bon-Voyage Lovely Lady!
Always in our hearts Aquarama !
My father, Mike Canfield, was a bartender on the Aquarama for the summer of 1959. We are sitting around this evening, listening to stories. Although he was a bartender, he says he was coaxed into singing with one of the barmaids -Jeanie(?).