50 Great Lakes Ship Salutes - Loud Horns in Action!

This video compiles salutes from 50 different lake freighters that I recorded during my visits to Duluth and Superior. I created this video as a celebration of hitting 10,000 subscribers here on YouTube and as a “salute” to everyone who has watched and supported my channel over the past seven years. Thank you!

There are two main types of salutes you'll hear in this video. The "captain's salute" is a greeting that consists of one long and two short blasts of the horn. The "master salute" is a similar greeting, but consists of three long and two short blasts. While the master salute was often thought of as a more formal salute used for special occasions, we see captain's use both types of salutes interchangeably these days. Many of the salutes presented here were answered by the Aerial Lift Bridge which spans the Duluth Shipping Canal. As I didn't want this video to contain 40 or more return salutes from the bridge, I decided to only feature a few of the bridge salutes as examples.

If you are looking to find specific ships, time stamps are included below to help you skip to your favorites.

0:00 Paul R. Tregurtha
0:32 Philip R. Clarke
1:07 American Mariner
1:40 Algoma Discovery
1:59 Whitefish Bay
2:25 Edwin H. Gott
2:59 Mark W. Barker
3:22 Burns Harbor
3:47 Samuel de Champlain-Innovation
4:12 James R. Barker
4:59 Algoma Innovator
5:24 Presque Isle
5:47 Walter J. McCarthy Jr.
6:10 Lee A. Tregurtha
6:33 Atlantic Huron
7:12 Manitoulin
7:41 Indiana Harbor
8:02 Mesabi Miner
8:25 John D. Leitch
8:52 Cason J. Callaway
9:26 American Century
9:51 Frontenac
10:13 John J. Boland
10:34 Arthur M. Anderson
11:02 Algoma Transport
11:24 Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin
11:44 Defiance-Ashtabula
12:21 Stewart J. Cort
12:46 Cuyahoga
13:23 Wilfred Sykes
13:51 American Integrity
14:19 Hon. James L. Oberstar
14:41 Algoma Intrepid
15:21 Victory-Maumee
16:02 Edgar B. Speer
16:22 H. Lee White
16:47 Herbert C. Jackson
17:10 Michipicoten
17:35 Spruceglen
18:15 Great Republic
18:43 Clyde S. Van Enkevort-Erie Trader
19:07 John G. Munson
19:40 American Spirit
20:14 Kaye E. Barker
20:38 Alpena
21:11 CSL Tadoussac
21:35 Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder
21:57 Dirk S. Van Enkevort-Michigan Trader
22:21 Saginaw
22:56 Joseph L. Block

If your favorite lake freighter isn't included here, they either didn't visit the Duluth-Superior area in 2020-2022 or I missed seeing them if they did visit. Also, there were several ships that I did capture on video over the past three years that unfortunately did not salute. Hopefully I will capture salutes from them in the coming year.

Thank you for watching!
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If you are interested in supporting this channel to keep new videos coming, I accept PayPal donations at the following link:

Donations of any size are gratefully accepted, as they help offset my expenses. Thank you postcards are sent for any donations over $5, plus thank you gifts are sent for donations of $30 or more. Gifts increase in value with donation size and are of my choosing, usually themed on Great Lakes shipping and/or the Duluth-Superior region.

Your views, likes, comments, and subscriptions also help this channel and are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[nathanielcruz]

I mostly love James R. Barker’s horn. It sounds mighty and legendary. The captain knows it's a legendary ship, so he blasts the horn long.

[angelas]

If you told me two weeks ago that I'd be listening to 20 minutes of GL ships tooting their horns, I would've laughed in your face...but here I am...and it's glorious.

[elliottprice]

James R Barker. Now that's a ship with a loud horn. These ships are so varied in shape and size. I loved it 👍

[SuperWorldRailFanProductions]

A few words: "Nothing beats James R. Barker"

[brandlynnyoung]

I have a medically frail, autistic son and he is OBSESSED with these videos.
Thank you and keep up the great work!

[AmandaJuneLL]

Love them all, thank you for putting this together! I really like the Wilfred Sykes, and the Cuyahoga❤️ I will call it a life goal to ever hear the Barker Bark in person.

[pamclausen]

What a great video to watch and listen to, thank you. the James Barker is still top of my list!

[cris_]

Thank you for taking the time to document the passage of the mighty lake boats. Downright interesting the shapes and sizes of all of them. Not to mention how each boat, or tug and barge combo, have their own unique personality. Big congrats on hitting the 10k mark, and here's to the next 10k!

[adriannarocks]

The ship horns were awesome the Edwin H.Gott ship horn and the James R barker ship horn made me laugh but you did an a amazing job making this video. I love watching ships😊

[michaelwalterselevatorsrob]

I love how the Ashtabula and the Aerial Bridge's horns sound SO IDENTICAL to each other

[nssrrailfan]

Amazing work! The Century has been and always be my favorite. It's retired Captain, who was a good friend of mine, sadly passed away. Great video as always!

[scopex]

Wow the Kaye E Barker reminds me of 'The Big Fitz'. God rest their souls. Lovely footage.

[skycvg]

This is still one of my all-time favorites, I don't know how many times I have referenced this collection to remember horn/whistle tones. Great historical record.

[maxgaming]

Congrats on 10, 000 barker is my favorite

[dmc]

Enough horn blowing to knock me off my feet! (Just the way I like it😘) Merry Christmas & thank you that was AWESOME!!

[leehanna]

A very interesting video. Congratulations on 10K!

[oceansoul]

A well-deserved Congratulations TO YOU! That's quite an accomplishment and we are all the better for your gift of these huge ships and their mighty salutes. Still the James R Barker is my favorite of all time, kind of like grizzly bears and rough ridin' bikers mixed together. This is an amazing collection of the greatest salutes...like the Three Tenors, each out-doing the other. Thank You!

[apriloutdoors]

I remember seeing the full length video of the Walter J with all that ice cover - what a sight! Fantastic compilation - thank you and happy holidays!

[moonmanpics]

Fantastic. Can’t wait to go up to Duluth on my next visit to Bruno. Hopefully catch one in person.

[adriannegrillo]

Thank you! Would love to see these in person. I m not for from the Cleveland docks or Ashtabula. I ve seen a few years ago when on the East Bank in the flats having dinner. What a breathtaking sight!