By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The S.S. Spartan’s stern gate was removed Thursday, Oct. 23, in the likely move to place the structure on the stern of the S.S. Badger. On Sept. 17 the Badger backed into the bow of the moored Spartan, causing severe damage to the Badger’s stern gate. The gate was removed that evening and the…
Part 6 By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — Bernard “Bunny” Robertson, Bjoruin “Lindy” Johnson, Ernest Barth, John Bissell, Bruce Masse, Gregg Anderson, Dean Hobbs, Kevin Fitch. Those are just some of the men who have been the masters of the S.S. Badger, the last of a long line of car ferries based out of Ludington. In 2023, another captain joined…
LUDINGTON — The S.S. Badger’s Friday, Oct. 10 sailing has been cancelled due to weather conditions on Lake Michigan. Today’s Lake Michigan weather forecast is calling for south-southwest winds 18 to 24 knots (21 to 28 mph) becoming west in the afternoon with gusts reaching as high as 30 knots (34 mph); waves of 7 to 10 feet, occasionally reaching…
Part 5 Story and photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LAKE MICHIGAN — When Kevin Diedrich was growing up in Manitowoc, Wis. his grandparents lived near the lakeshore. Kevin and his sister had the chore of mowing their grandparents’ lawn. When they were done they would go down by the shore and watch the carferries come and go. “My sister used…
Part 4 Story by Mark Varenhorst, Contributing Writer Photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LAKE MICHIGAN — On Tuesday, Sept. 29 2025, I boarded the S.S. Badger with my editor and friend Rob Alway. We were both covering that trip from different views and also from different crew members we spoke to along the way. In my earlier article I mentioned…
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