This MCP Boat Blog is presented by the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, www.masoncountymihistory.org.
Photos and story by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
MUSKEGON — Father’s Day was a good day for this boat nerd and history geek.
My family treated me to a Father’s Day history cruise aboard the Aquastar on Muskegon Lake. The outing turned into something even more special when I had the opportunity to see both the oldest active freighter on the Great Lakes and one of the newest vessels sailing the lakes — all within a matter of minutes.
The Aquastar’s Discover Muskegon Live Narration Cruise was led by Dave Alexander, former business editor of the Muskegon Chronicle, former executive director of Downtown Muskegon Now, and current president of both the Lakeshore Museum Center and the Muskegon Rotary Club. The Father’s Day cruise was the first of three history-themed tours Alexander will lead aboard the vessel this summer.
Dave Alexander
Alexander spent 35 years covering business and industry throughout west Michigan and has developed a deep appreciation for Muskegon Lake and its history. During the two-hour cruise, he discussed the lake’s transformation from a lumbering hub to an industrial powerhouse and, more recently, a center for recreation, tourism and waterfront redevelopment.
The first unexpected bonus of the day came as the cruise returned to Mart Dock. Passing the Aquastar on its way outbound was the SS Alpena, the oldest active freighter on the Great Lakes, heading toward its next destination — its namesake city of Alpena.
Knowing from my MarineTraffic app that another notable vessel was inbound, I headed to the Muskegon shoreline after the cruise concluded. The MV American Patriot, American Cruise Lines’ newest cruise ship and among the newest vessels operating on the Great Lakes, was approaching Muskegon. Along the way, I was able to catch up with the Alpena near the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse and launch my drone to photograph the veteran freighter as it exited the channel.
The 520-foot self-unloading cement carrier had been docked at Lafarge North America, 1047 Seventh St., on Muskegon Lake. The facility receives aggregate used in construction and concrete production and is a regular destination for vessels serving Lafarge’s Great Lakes operations.
Originally launched as Leon Fraser on Feb. 28, 1942, the vessel was built by Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge for Pittsburgh Steamship Co., a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. One of five identical AA-Class super carriers constructed during World War II, the ship hauled iron ore for the nation’s steel industry. At 639 feet, 6 inches long and capable of carrying more than 18,000 tons of cargo, it was among the largest Great Lakes vessels of its era.
Powered by a De Laval steam turbine and two Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers, the vessel spent four decades transporting iron ore and grain before being laid up in 1982.
Alpena on Muskegon Lake, photographed from the Aquastar.
Fraser Shipyards of Superior, Wis., purchased the ship in 1989 and undertook a major conversion project. A 120-foot section was removed from the vessel, reducing its length to approximately 520 feet. It was also converted into a self-unloading cement carrier. Renamed Alpena in 1991, the ship was christened after the northeastern Michigan city that is home to a major cement plant.
The Alpena became the oldest active steam-powered commercial vessel on the Great Lakes in 2015. Despite suffering significant fire damage while in dry dock at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., later that year, the vessel was repaired and returned to service in 2016.
Today, the Alpena is owned by Inland Lakes Management and Andrie Transportation Group of Muskegon. It continues transporting cement throughout the Great Lakes and remains one of the last commercial steamships operating in North America, making it a favorite among Great Lakes maritime enthusiasts.
American Patriot in the Muskegon channel
Within 15 minutes, the American Patriot was making itself into the channel. The ship entered service in 2025 as the first ship in American Cruise Lines’ new Patriot-class fleet.
The 241-foot vessel accommodates 130 passengers and was designed specifically for domestic cruising on American waterways, including the Great Lakes. Unlike most cruise ships operating on the lakes, the American Patriot is U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed and sails exclusively between American ports. Amenities include private balcony staterooms, observation lounges, a restaurant, fitness center and viewing areas designed to showcase Great Lakes scenery.
The American Patriot is expected to make two visits to Ludington this summer on Aug. 7 and Aug. 14.
The Aquastar (MCP file photo from 2025)
The vessel that made the day’s adventures possible has an impressive history of its own.
The Aquastar offers sightseeing cruises on Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan while continuing a long maritime tradition. The 61-foot-long, 27-foot-wide vessel is owned by Aquastar Lake Cruises, a division of Sand Products Corporation, one of the oldest family-operated maritime companies on the Great Lakes.
Originally built in 1966 as a ferry serving Mackinac Island, the vessel later spent decades operating as the Port City Princess operating on Muskegon Lake. Sand Products purchased the boat to keep it in Muskegon and renamed it Aquastar in 2018 in honor of the legendary Great Lakes passenger liner SS Aquarama, which the company operated in the 1950s and 1960s.
Today, the Aquastar accommodates up to 150 passengers and features two decks, a full-service bar and amenities designed for sightseeing cruises, special events and private charters.
The American Patriot passes the Muskegon Breakwater Lighthouse, with the South Pierhead Lighthouse in the background.
Operating from the historic Mart Dock near downtown Muskegon, the Aquastar offers public afternoon, sunset and specialty cruises from Memorial Day through October, along with private charters for weddings, reunions, corporate outings and other events. Public cruises travel through the Muskegon Channel and onto Muskegon Lake, often venturing onto Lake Michigan when conditions permit.
Dave Alexander will return for two additional Discover Muskegon cruises this summer, scheduled for July 5 and Aug. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. Great Lakes historian and shipwreck diver Valerie van Heest will also present a special Deep Secrets: Shipwrecks of Muskegon cruise from 1 to 3 p.m. on July 26.
Van Heest is well known in Mason County as the designer of the Mason County Historical Society’s Port of Ludington Maritime Museum and the Rose Hawley Archives in downtown Ludington.
Additional information about schedules, specialty cruises, ticket purchases and private charters is available at AquastarCruises.com.
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