By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
The intention of this site is to honor the deep maritime traditions of the Great Lakes by telling stories of vessels, crews, and entities, both past and present. I own and operate online news services Mason County Press and Oceana County Press, based in Scottville, Michigan near Ludington. I am also a member of the Board of Directors of the Mason County Historical Society, which operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum.
Growing up in Ludington, which was home of the largest car ferry fleet on the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is very much intertwined with our daily lives. As I began researching the history of the car ferry fleet, I realized that there was so much more to the story of our maritime heritage. As a professional photographer and writer for the past nearly four decades, I began documenting the ships that visit the west Michigan port cities, realizing that while my local audience was interested in these topics, my reach was limited. Through this I created Great Lakes Boat Blog.
The blogs on this site will be a combination of history and modern events. This is not really a news site, but rather an honorarium to this fascinating industry.
I welcome your input and would appreciate your support. We rely on sponsors and subscribers. Individuals may subscribe to our email list for $5 per month, or $55 a year. If you would like to sign up, please drop me an email at editor@mediagroup31.com. If you own a business and would like to advertise, please inquire at the same email.
Great Lakes Boat Blog is a subsidiary of Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454, in partnership with Sable Points Media, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) news service.