A new life for the Marine Star/Aquarama?
While out geocaching on Monday, we happened to be near the Marine Star/Aquarama – that big rusting hulk of a ship, moored up next to the grain silos along Route 5. Since I had my camera with me, it seemed like a good chance to try and get up close to the ship. As soon as we walked onto the marina driveway, we were quickly stopped by an employee who then referred us to his boss, who didn’t have any problems with us walking down towards the ship and taking photos, so away we went. For those who haven’t been able to see it up close, here you go.
Afterwards, I was searching around the internet for some history on the ship, and ran across something I hadn’t heard about before. There’s a new group that’s looking to restore the ship and turn it into a floating mission and university.
The Project purpose is firstly to restore the ship Marine Star. And secondly, to convert the Marine Star into an active Mission University at Sea Campus. Imagine a 520 foot 60 year old ship that has only been in use for less than ten years of its history, with its hull preserved in fresh water. This is a ship searching for its destiny.
The Marine Star SEAS School Project has two phases. The first Phase of the Project is dedicated to the preservation and adaptive retrofitting of the WWII era Ship known as the Marine Star, and also known as the Aquarama, during her service on the Great Lakes from 1956 to 1962.
The second Phase of the project will be the establishment of the University at Sea campus and curriculum. That is to carry passengers and carry cargo. These passengers however would not be soldiers or vacationers, but they would be students of all ages enrolled in a Christian Faith based on board accredited school, studying to obtain college credits. The ship when in port, would serve as an active outreach station for the students to apply what they have learned in their classes, in real life sustainable education ways. Even teaching others what you have learned. For example, nursing students would do nursing humanitarian outreaches. Computer students would train others how to do what they have learned and complete selected projects for local schools or businesses. Hydrology students could work with a missionary team to dig wells for those that may have to walk a mile to obtain potable water.
Wow. That’s a big task, but it seems that they have done quite a bit of planning and at least some hunting for funding. Their blog hasn’t had any updates since March, but it seems that there are other similar successful projects that have already been realized. It would certainly be a better option than scrapping it, or letting it sit there continuing to rust.
Incidentally, those silos that sit next to the Marine Star seem to be in pretty good shape, should someone want to turn them into a waterfront attraction of some sort. Think of the awesome waterslides you could have coming out of the top of that thing!
Hi Derek,
Thanks for taking the pictures of Aquarama. I use to work on the ship during my college years and in the past two months I’ve heard from two of my shipmates (haven’t heard from them in 45 years) and we are going to see how many people we can locate. If you hear from anyone else that worked there please let me know.
Thanks,
Corky
I’m in metro Detroit, one of many thousands of ageing ‘boomers with fond memories of the S.S. Aquarama. Our family outing was in June, 1960. You never quite forget having taken “…the FUN trip on the FUN SHIP, the S.S. Aqua—rama!” That was the jingle they ran on Detroit radio stations.
I didn’t acually work on the ship, having been a bit young. But many years later, I had a television news career in Cleveland, the port Aquarama sailed to from Detroit. In 1975, our news department decided to travel over to Muskegon, MI, where the ship was then mothballed. We filmed a documentary. And in the process, I met the late Brad McKee of the family that owned the ship.
Does anybody like the idea of doing some Aquarama commemorative T-shirts. on her 50th anniversary? There’s often Aquarama collectables on ebaY, and this doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me. Though, I’ve had lots of experience with BAD ideas.
Anybody know what the cost of acquiring her would be? I’ve heard there are just tons of leins against the ship, and scrapping her would become a legal nightmare.
Jay B. in metro Detroit
My father was the Captain of the Aquarama, his name was Captain James E. York . I would like to know if there is anybody that knew who he was.
Dan York
dyork48843@sbcglobal.net
Hi Derek,
I too stumbled upon this rusty shell of a ship about 10 yrs ago docked in Windsor. My boyfriend and I happened to be spending a chilly winter day over there from Detroit. We decided to stop along the river and take some pictures of the Detroit skyline when we happened upon the Aquarama. I was in awe of its size and condition. I too photographed it up close. I can’t help but marvel at what it once was. I hope someday to see it restored.
I’ve been following the Aquarama tow and have not heard or seen any news or pictures of her location since 7-21-07. does anyone have any news?
The following notice appeared today on maritimematters.com
Aliaga-Bound
August 10: The MARINE STAR/AQUARAMA is now well on her way to the shipbreaking yards of Aliaga, Turkey. After a two week layover at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada following her tow from Buffalo that began on July 15, the long dormant, rusting George Sharp-designed ship was hitched to the Greek-owned tug, AETOS Z for the long, slow tow across the Atlantic on Saturday, August 4.
One last piece:
Rebirth or oblivion?: Marine Star is headed for Turkey, but its fate as scrap or casino is unknown (The Buffalo News, N.Y.) By Sharon Linstedt, The Buffalo News, N.Y.McClatchy-Tribune Regional News
Aug. 9–The Marine Star, the rusting passenger ferry that spent more than a decade sitting on the Buffalo waterfront, is on its way to Turkey.
Edited… this piece was referenced in this post.
I’ll bet the current owners are relieved that Marine Star/Aquarama’s on the high seas and out of sight. My hunch is they’re “upside down” on this old ship and stand to lose money in scrapping her. 1.5 mm USD for the tow? Scrap value is just over 1.0 mm? Crunch the numbers. Would have been cut up 25 years ago had the price of scrap been high enough.
Am hoping someone who worked on the ship will post their experiences. Would love to see photos of the Marine Star being towed up the Mississippi and being worked on in drydock.
And this is really a L-O-N-G shot, I know. There was a catchy S.S. Aquarama radio jingle that played in the Detroit market and Cleveland as well. Anybody remember it? Would be terrific to find a copy and run it through digital audio restoration software. I can be contacted at jayguy58@yahoo.com …unless they delete it.
Goodbye old babe. You brought a big dollop of art deco class to the Great Lakes. Such a shame you never were able to run between Muskegon and Milwaukee as per the original plan. It’s possible you might STILL BE SAILING.
jaydetroit
My wife and I collect playing cards for this ship and we have several of them.
Do you know what the Hull number is for the Marine Star AKA Aquarama? Just wanted more information for reference guide. Thanks Rick M
In the early 90’s my father was the security guard that watched the damn ship, as a kid I would go exploring on it all the time while my dad did his normal work. I remember hearing wierd noises on the ship all the time but there was one occurance where it sounded like there was someone right behind me following me and I ended up getting lost in the lower part of the ship, as scary as it was as a child I did find some really cool things down there ( original plates, silverware ) things of that matter.
So not only does it look creapy on the outside , believe me its way worse on the inside. Some of the rooms still had matresses in them for heaven sakes….creapy creapy creapy.
So any info on the ship please post , I would like too know where my childhood playground is these days.
Dave W
I HAVE LIVED IN MUSKEGON, MI. ALL MY LIFE. I CAN REMEMBER HOURS I WOULD JUST SIT OUT ON THE LAND POINT NEXT TO THE AQUARAMA AND JUST WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO RIDE ON HER. SHE WAS SO BIG! HUGE IN FACT WHEN COMPARED TO THE MILWAUKEE CLIPPER PARKED RIGHT BY HER. MANY FACTS I LEARNED OVER THE YEARS IS THAT; SHE WAS BUILT AS A LIBERTY SHIP, HERE AND HER KIND BUILT IN 1944 TOOK ONLY A MONTH OR LESS TO BE BUILT FOR THE WAR EFFORT. SHE MANY ONLY TWO TRIPS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WITH TROOPS AND SUPPLYS BEFORE ENDING SERVICE. WHEN SHE WAS BOUGHT BY THE MCGEE FAMILY HER COMPLETE UPPER WORKS WERE REMOVED AND THEN TOWED UP THE MISSISIPPI RIVER AND ON TO MUSKEGON. ON HERE WAY INTO MUSKEGON LAKE, SHE GOT STUCK TOWARD THE NORTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE WHICH IS QUITE SHALLOW. TUGS BEING UNABLE TO PULL HER OFF THEY FIRED UP THE 10,000 HORSE POWER ENGINES AND OFF SHE CAME. ALL THE REFURBISHING WAS DONE AT THE MART DOCK, BY MUSKEGON COMPANY’S SUCH AS VERSITILE FAB., FITZPATRICK ELECTRIC, AND LOCAL SHEET METAL WORKERS. SHE MADE ONLY A FEW TRIPS IN AND OUT OF PORT BEFORE SHE LEFT FOR DETROIT, BUT THE HUPPLA ABOUT THEM WAS FANTASTIC. I’LL NEVER FORGET A WEEK BEFORE THEY TOWED HER AWAY OUR LUMBERTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL {NO MUSKEGON SUMMER CELEBRATION} WAS GOING ON, AND THE BEACH BOYS WERE PUTTING ON A CONCERT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE AQUARAMAS DOCK SIGHT, AND BRIAN WILSON TURNING AROUND AND POINTING TO HER AND SAYING. “WHAT A COOL BOAT, LET’S FIRE HER UP AND TAKE IT FOR A RIDE!” THEN BEFORE SHE WAS TOWED AWAY THEY OPENED HER UP FOR PUBLIC TOURS “WOW”, UNBELIEVABLE, EVERTHING WAS SO COOL ESCALATORS TWO BARS EACH WITH A DANCE FLOOR THE UPPER DANCE FLOOR LOOKED OVER THE LOWER ONE. BEING A YOUR 28 YEAR OLD AND HAVING TO SHE MORE THAN WAS PERMITED MY FRIEND AND I SNUCK UNDER POSTED AREAS AND FOUND OR WAY TO THE BRIDGE, ALMOST GETTING LOST A FEW TIMES. ONCE INSIDE I WAS AWE STRUCK AT HOW ANYONE COULD EVER STEER SOMETHING SO HUGE. WE MANAGED TO OPEN THE OUTER DOOR TO THE BRIDGE WINGS AND CARFULLY, CAREFULLY WALK OUT. yikes, gulp, WOW WHAT A LONG 9 STORIES DOWN TO THE WATER!!!!!!!! ANYWAYS AS SHE WAS TOWED OUT THE CHANNEL TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND HORN BLAST, I CAN ONLY REMEMBER HOW MUCH I WANTED TO TAKE HER OUT FOR A RIDE! GODSPEED PRETTY GIRL. WE WILL MISS YOU!
I love this ship and am collecting any pictures and video I can get. Please send me pictures at runningzone@yahoo.com It would be appreciated. Please put “Aquarama” in the subject of the email to distinguish the email from spam. Thanks!
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2011/04/looking_back_welcome_aboard_th.html