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June 17, 2024
MANITOWOC – After a 10-month mechanical hiatus, the S.S. Badger – Lake Michigan’s people and car ferry – is finally back up and running between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan.
Prior to its shutdown, Ferry General Manager Sara Spore said the Badger, the last coal-fired passenger ship in operation in the United States, has provided a fun, reliable and affordable shortcut across Lake Michigan for more than 30 years as a passenger ferry.
“We are excited to be back up and running,” she said. “It’s an important piece for both of our port cities.”
Last July, Spore said, the Badger made its morning trip to Ludington, but was forced to shut down after arriving at the port.
“There are two counterweights, one on each side of the apron – the apron is what we drive the autos across to load the boat,” she said. “The portside counterweight failed, so we weren’t able to raise or lower the apron anymore – so that ended our season last year.”
Spore said it is hard to pinpoint what caused the counterweight failure.
“The counterweights were constructed in 1930,” she said. “There have been inspections done on them – last year included – so we’re not 100% sure what caused the failure. But we know the new structures (we had installed) are bigger and better.”
When the ship went out of commission last summer, Spore said they were hoping to find a temporary solution to get the Badger back up and running quickly.
“We were looking at a solution to lift the apron or do a quick repair,” she said. “We know how much our port cities rely on the Badger, so we were hoping to get it up and running sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, we decided it was best to proceed with a full repair and cancel the rest of the season.”
It was a decision, Spore said, that was very difficult to make.
How it’s going now
At 410 feet long, 59 feet wide, 106 feet tall and weighing 6,650 tons, Spore said the Badger is the largest cross-lake passenger service on the Great Lakes.
For the past three-plus decades, the steamship has provided passengers and cars with a four-hour, 60-mile lift between Manitowoc and Ludington.
The Badger was originally purposed as a railroad car ferry, but that service ended in the late 1980s.
Spore said it took a few years to repurpose the ship, with the Badger beginning operations as a people/car ferry in 1992.
“Things are going well now,” she said. “The crew is excited to sail again, and our passengers and port communities have been welcoming.”
Spore said both communities – Manitowoc and Ludington – were extremely supportive during the shutdown.
“Everyone is excited to see us running again – we tried to keep our permanent employees as long as we could,” she said. “We have the full complement of staff back this year, and we’re ready to keep moving.”
Thom Hawley, public relations manager for the Lake Michigan car ferry, said he echoed Spore’s comments.
“A drive and persistence to get the ferry back up and running was instrumental in getting us going again,” he said. “The community support has always been there, but when you hit hard times, you find out how supportive they are.”
More than meets the eye
Spore said the trip isn’t just sitting on a bench for four hours while the Badger crosses the third largest Great Lake behind Superior and Huron – there are other amenities aboard.
Passengers, she said, can opt to play Badger Bingo, eat in the dining area, have a drink at the bar, visit the museum, watch a movie in the theater, visit the gift shop or simply sit and enjoy the views.
Spore said it is an attractive alternative to driving from Manitowoc to Ludington – which takes about 6 1/2 hours and puts more than 400 miles on a vehicle one way, including a drive through Chicago, the third largest city in the country.
A quick look at the Badger website (ssbadger.com) shows there are two departures per day during the season, which runs from mid-May to early October.
The ship leaves Ludington at 9 a.m. Eastern Time and from Manitowoc at 2 p.m. Central Time.
There is also a late-night schedule on select days of the week through Sept. 1.
Check the website for more details on those crossings.
