Coastguard to decommission 12 fog signals and 8 lighthouses

[Mike]

Muskegon South Breakwater Light Muskegon, Michigan US Coast Guard has proposed to decommission 12 fog signals and 8 lights located in the Great Lakes region. All Great Lakes would be affected except Lake Superior.

Specifically, these proposed changes includes the Disestablishment of eight (8) Great Lakes lights including lights at Thirtymile Point, Dunkirk, Port Sanilac, Point Aux Barques, Forty Mile, Sturgeon Point, and St. Helena.

Proposed plans also call for the disestablishment of twelve (12) fog signals including Frankfort North Breakwall, Manistee North Pierhead, Ludington North Breakwall, Ludington North Pierhead, Pentwater North Pierhead, Muskegon South Breakwall, Muskegon South Pierhead,Grand Haven South Pierhead Entrance, St. Joseph North Pierhead, and Michigan City East Pierhead Lights.

[GLF]

Muskegon's Southern break wall gets hit enough by boats already. Now they want to remove the fog signal

[CaptLevi]

Can you say smash em up derby?

Sometimes you just gotta wonder where your tax dollars are going. They probably spent enough money with committees and meetings on the subject to keep them running a while longer.....

[caznik]

That will really suck on foggy days if you happen to get into the fog coming back in. Last year at Frankfort I happen to get caught in the fog coming back to shore. I used my GPS unit and when I happen to get close to the pier heads I was saved by the fog horn. That fog horn really helps out.

Caznik

[GLF]

We are digging into this post further. I have been in contact with a member of the Coast Guard. I found out where this information came from. This information came from an archive and is not current.

[caznik]

We are digging into this post further. I have been in contact with a member of the Coast Guard. I found out where this information came from. This information came from an archive and is not current.

Mike,

It has been me that has been checking on this info about the light houses and the fog horns with the coast gaurd. I been talking with the coast guard to be a member on the web site to give us some help on some of these ?'s on some of these threads on here and looks like there is a member of the coast gaurd that did sign up as a member here.(mainly this one) I think that will help us out on some ?'s on the great lakes. Well I just got an email from the coast guard and this is what they had told me.

Thank you for contacting the Coast Guard Navigation Center. We sent your inquiry to the Ninth District Aids to Navigation Office and this is the reply we received:

"We have proposed to shut off a couple of lights, which are open for public comment at this time. The only lighthouse that has been turned off recently is Sturgeon Point Light. Most of our proposals however, are to reduce the visual range of the light to make better use of modern technologies.

For the fog signals, we have no intent to shut off any at this time. We are changing many fog horns to a radio remote controlled activation device. This is the same type of receiver used at many small airports to turn on runway lights. The fog horn is turned on by keying the a vhf-fm microphone on a designated frequency 5 times

Well Mike I hope this answer will help everyone out here. If anyone has any ?'s you might want to talk with Great Lake CG he is a member on this web site.

Good fishing this weekend,

Caznik

[GLF]

For the fog signals, we have no intent to shut off any at this time. We are changing many fog horns to a radio remote controlled activation device. This is the same type of receiver used at many small airports to turn on runway lights. The fog horn is turned on by keying the a vhf-fm microphone on a designated frequency 5 times

I believe this is channel 79, and I think it is this year they will be doing this.

Well Mike I hope this answer will help everyone out here. If anyone has any ?'s you might want to talk with Great Lake CG he is a member on this web site.

Good fishing this weekend,

Caznik

I have spoken with Great Lakes CG and he is a member of the Coast Guard. I asked him if would would field coast guard related questions on the site. I am not sure if he will or not. It would be a GREAT addition to the site.

I did dig further into the origal post. The info came from a June 97 archive on another site.

Based on your reply from the Coast Guard, it appears there is still discussion going on about it.

With all of the cut backs our military is having, it would not surprise me if the light houses was passed to someone else to foot the bill.

Thanks for digging in to this for us Rich! Its members like you that make this a GREAT SITE!

[GLF]

I found this information Here.

SECTION VI - PROPOSED CHANGES

Periodically, the Coast Guard evaluates its system of aids to navigation to determine whether the conditions for which the aids to navigation were

established have changed. When changes occur, the feasibility of improving, relocating, replacing, or discontinuing aids are considered. This section

contains notice(s) of non-approved, proposed projects open for comment. SPECIAL NOTE: Mariners are requested to respond in writing to the District

office unless otherwise noted (see banner page for address).

PROPOSED WATERWAY PROJECTS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Proposed Project(s) Closing Docket No. Ref. LNM

GREAT LAKE - Recommended Changes to Decommissioning and Commissioning dates.

The Coast Guard is proposing to change the decommissioning and/or commissioning dates for the following aids:

(10575) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 2 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10590) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 3 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10595) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 4 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10600) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 5 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10605) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 6 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10610) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 7 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10615) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 8 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10620) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 9 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(10625) - Saginaw Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 10 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15680) - Superior Harbor Basin Lighted Buoy 4 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15705) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 2 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15770) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 6 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15790) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 10 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15805) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 14 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(15820) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 18 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(19625) - Indiana Shoal Lighted Gong Buoy 2 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(19790) - Chicago Lake Front NE Shoal Lighted Buoy 2 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(15825) - Superior Front Channel Lighted Buoy 19 - Change Decommissioning to 7 December

(19795) - Calumet East Shoal Lighted Buoy 4 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(19810) - Calumet Harbor Lighted Buoy 1 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(19825) - Calumet Harbor Lighted Buoy 7 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(19910) - Clemson Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy 4 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20250) - Wilmette Wreck Lighted Bell Buoy WR 2 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20255) - Grossepoint Outer Lighted Bell Buoy 4 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20330) - Waukegan Shoals Lighted Buoy 3 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20485) - Racine Reef West End Lighted Buoy 1 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20600) - Wind Point South Shoal Buoy 16 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20610) - Wind Point North Shoal Lighted Buoy 14 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

(20630) - Milwaukee South Point Lighted Bell Buoy 1 - Change Commissioning to 1 April

For Further information regarding these aids please contact ENS Justin M. Erdman District 9 (dpw) (216)902-6072

LAKE ERIE - Cleveland Harbor - Huron Harbor - Sandusky Harbor - Decommissioning Dates Change - Charts 14839,

14843, 14845

Change the decommissioning dates for the following Aids to Navigation to 1 December.

Cleveland Harbor

East Basin Channel LB 1 (LLNR 4065)

East Basin Channel LB 5 (LLNR 4085)

East Basin Channel LB 6 (LLNR 4090)

East Basin Channel LB 8 (LLNR 4120)

East Basin Channel LB 11 (LLNR 4135)

East Basin Channel LB 12 (LLNR 4140)

East Basin Channel LB 14 (LLNR 4155)

Huron Harbor

Entrance LB 1 (LLNR 4485)

Sandusky Harbor

Moseley Channel LBB 1 (LLNR 4580)

Moseley Channel LB 2 (LLNR 4585)

Moseley Channel LB 4 (LLNR 4595)

Moseley Channel LB 6 (LLNR 4605)

LAKE HURON - Alpena - Chart 14864

Alpena Light (LLNR 11370) Change the light characteristic from Fl R 5s to Fl R 6s. Reduce the nominal range from 14 to 12 miles.

LAKE HURON - Lafarge Corporation Channel - Chart 14864

Lafarge Corporation Channel Jct LB "TB" (LLNR 11420) Change to year round unlighted aid.

LAKE MICHIGAN - Ludington - chart 14937

Ludington North Breakwater Light (LLNR 18530) change the light from white to green. The flashing characteristic will remain Iso 6s.

LAKE MICHIGAN - Sheboygan - Chart 14922

Sheyboygan North Pierhead Light (LLNR 20835) change the light characteristic from F R to Fl ISO 6s.

LAKE MICHIGAN - St. Joseph - Chart 14930

St. Joseph North Pier Inner Light (LLNR 19520) discontinue light.

LAKE MICHIGAN - Manistee - Chart 14938

Manistee North Pierhead Light (LLNR 18450) reduce the nominal range of the light from 15 to 12 miles. Energize the fog signal by keying VHF

radio 5 times on channel 79.

ST MARYS RIVER - West Neebish Channel (Downbound) - Chart 14883

West Neebish Channel Light "30" (LLNR 13605) Reduce the nominal range from 5 to 3 miles.

ST MARYS RIVER - West Neebish Channel (Downbound) - Chart 14883

West Neebish Channel Light "32" (LLNR 13595) Reduce the nominal range from 4 to 3 miles.

LAKE SUPERIOR - Grand Marais - Chart 14967

Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Outer Light (LLNR 14550) reduce the range of the light from 13 to 12 miles.

LAKE SUPERIOR - Keweenaw Waterway - Chart 14972

Lower Entrance Light (LLNR 14765) reduce nominal range of light from 15 to 13 statute miles.

LAKE SUPERIOR - Duluth - Superior - St. Louis Bay - Chart 14975

Change the nominal range for the following aids from 4 miles to 3 miles:

Superior Front CH LB 6 (LLNR 15770)

Superior Front CH LB 10 (LLNR 15790)

Duluth Harbor Basin LB 3 (LLNR 15880)

Rices Pt. LB 9 (LLNR 15940)

St. Louis Bay Jct LB (LLNR 16055)

Minnesota CH (E Sec) LB 6 (LLNR 16205)

Minnesota CH (E Sec) LB 10 (LLNR 16225)

LAKE SUPERIOR - Allouez Bay - Duluth Harbor - Chart 14975

Change the decommissioning dates for the following buoys to 14 December:

(LLNR 15640) Allouez Bay LB 3

(LLNR 15870) Duluth Harbor Basin Traffic Buoy

(LLNR 15875) Duluth Harbor Basin LB 2

(LLNR 15880) Duluth Harbor Basin LB 3

(LLNR 15905) Duluth Harbor Basin LB 5

(LLNR 15925) Duluth Harbor Basin LB 7

(LLNR 15940) Rice's Point LB 9