The famous freighter Arthur M. Anderson finally made it into port for winter lay-up on March 4.  It's month-long futile slog from Indiana to Ohio to pick up cargo ended with it returning to Sturgeon Bay, WS with empty holds.  It looks like this winter's ice build up on the Great Lakes will be a repeat of last year's deep freeze when the shipping slowdown cost 4000 jobs and $705 million in economic losses.  See full article here. 

A link has been added to the Weather, Navigation & Marine section of Links to view maps of the ice buildup on the Great Lakes.

An update to the "Introduction to the Great Lakes Cruising Club" presentation is now available for member download and use. The update incorporates information on the club's new Facebook page, information on current membership pricing, and other enhancements. PowerPoint and PDF versions of the slides and a PDF notes view document with presentation suggestions are available for immediate download to present at yacht clubs or other organizations.

NOAA and the British Geological Survey recently completed the most current update of their World Magnetic Model (WMM). For information on this model and what it means to you, click HERE.

Philip and Ann May's boat ZEPHYR, a Tartan 37, is featured as the boat review in the November issue of Soundings Magazine. Click here to read the article. Philip is editor of the GLCC quarterly magazine Lifeline and chairman of the club's publicity committee.

This not-to-be missed 40-minute video imagines what could be learned about each Great Lake and the overall Great Lakes system if the lakes could be drained to reveal the secrets of their bottoms in detail. The result is amazing and incredibly insightful. Click here for more information and to view.

Edward T. "Ted" Youngs was recently awarded the prestigious William J. Kivell Award for outstanding Port Captain.  Ted has been Port Captain for Wiarton, ON (GB-12) since 1996.  Ted was unable to attend the 2014 Annual General Meeting where the award was announced; Georgian Bay Rear Commodore David Brace accepted the award on Ted's behalf. David presented the plaque to him on Nov. 14 with his daughter and son-in-law, GLCC members Kathryn and Harold Braun in attendance. Harold is Deputy Port Captain of Wiarton.

Help get the word out about GLCC and GLCCSchool with a new mini-webinar recording created to serve as a "ready-made" program for presentation at local Yacht Club, Power Squadron or similar meetings. For more information about how you can provide this program to your local boating organization, click HERE.

The club's new Facebook presence is now up and running! To take a look click here or go to Facebook and search for Great Lakes Cruising Club. While the glcclub.com web site will remain the club's primary source for member services such as harbor reports, member benefit info, event registration and more, our new Facebook page offers a complimentary environment for existing and potential club members to share and interact around common cruising interests. Don't delay! Check it out today, add your "LIKE", invite your boating friends, and join in the community conversation!

In this, our final installment of the 80th anniversary review of vintage Harbor Reports, we saved the Big One for last. Lake Superior's superlatives are well known, so there's no need to list them. Cruising on this lake does require some foreknowledge, so let's go back to 1953, when this report was published, and get a first hand feel for the lake 60 years ago. Click Here to view the old report. Then visit the two current overview reports S-00 and S-0.5. We, truly, have come a long way baby!

Steve & Brenda Reinecke's boat BETS ON, a Mainship 43, is featured as the used boat review in the October issue of Soundings Magazine.  Click here to read the article. Steve is Port Captain of Lion's Head, ON.  Bit of trivia, BETS ON comes from Brenda, Emily, Trevor, Steve; Emily & Trevor are their children.  Their previous boat was BETS OFF.