Chapter Four pg 1 Prologue
When I began this Christmas Tree Ship II story, I
had no idea where it would take me. This morning, for example, I spent two
hours reading parts of Isaac Stephenson's Autobiography. Mr. Stephenson
was, perhaps, one of Marinette's most prominent citizens, and up until today, I
have never read extensively about him.
I had no idea as to the extent of the numbers of
sailing ships lost on the Great Lakes. I was aware of how fierce and
sudden the storms can be as I have sailed on the Bay of Green Bay and been
caught is sudden squalls which sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere, but have
never sailed on any of the Great Lakes. Thus, I have a deep respect for
the waters of the bay and the lakes.
I was surprised to learn that there were 52
Christmas Tree Ships, hauling their goods from this area up north, to Milwaukee
and Chicago.
I learned so much about the Coast Guard Ship
Mackinaw, even though I have lived in a Coast Guard Shipbuilding town all of my
life, have toured Marinette Marine Corporation, and have watched and
photographed the launch of such ships, and know some Coast Guard personnel.
So, for me, what began as a chance television new
report on something called a Christmas Tree Ship moored at Navy Pier in Chicago,
next to the Chicago Fire Boat, turned out to be the tip of learning trip for me, that, I think, has just begun.
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