A Sailor's Logbook: A Season Aboard Great Lakes Freighters

Great Lakes Books Series

by Mark L. Thompson

In this firsthand account of life aboard the ships of the Great Lakes, Mark Thompson weaves together the threads of a story that relives a centuries-old tradition. Thompson began his logbook after he reported for duty aboard the Calcite II at Fraser Shipyard in Superior, Wisconsin, for the 1996 shipping season. A Sailor's Logbook is the first such book to chronicle a sailor's life at the end of the twentieth century. Not just a detailing of weather, cargo, and crew relations, A Sailor's Logbook is also an account of the daily lives of a diverse group of crewmembers as they share their sailing knowledge, "sea stories," and the many memories that accompany the pictures. Although there are ample resources in museums, archival collections, and company files regarding statistical logbook information, A Sailor's Logbook details the intricacies of daily life on a Great Lakes freighter. Thompson navigates the reader through the waters of the Great Lakes and his own life in this very special narrative.

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

About the author

Mark L. Thompson is a freelance writer and merchant seaman living Alpena, Michigan. His lifelong love affair with the Great Lakes shipping industry has included stints as a crew member aboard the big boats and as a maritime academy administrator. Thompson is the author of the popular Steamboats and Sailors of the Great Lakes and A Sailor’s Logbook: A Season Aboard Great Lakes Freighters.

Reviews

[Debra Jarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally interesting book!

The author is not only articulate and insightful, he also manages to make the most mundane shipboard tasks interesting. Following him through his 1996 sailing season, he makes the reader feel as if they are actually "tagging along" on board the various ships upon which he served. Interesting, too, is the fact that the events are told from a Steward's (cook) perspective....which is unique.