Rodents on lake freighters

[Mr Link]

Salties are often fumigated when loading grain on the Great Lakes. Not sure about lakers carying grain. Here is a description of an incident a few years ago on a salty, where most of the crew was sickened by the fumigation gas:

http://www.professionalmariner.com/Apri ... and-Canal/


Sounds like it primarily done to control insects but can control rodents as well. In this case it almost took out some of the crew members.

[Lakeport]

I did winter work on many of the freighters and have got to meet many of engine room crew and even ate in the galley with them and I asked about mice and rats because if there is one there is usually lots. Never heard a complaint. I'm now a Trapper and have learned from being in my little shack for so many years that rodents and other animals for the most part will not come in or around where there is too much activity or movement. I leave for a week or two and they move in. I come back and catch a couple and the rest are gone with no sign around. Freighters are busy, lots of noise with loading and unloading, constant movement on board, and same with the docks they load and unload at. My opinion is the brave rodents will try for a bounty but the most will look elsewhere.

[Guest]

We had raccoons on board many times they climb up the mooring lines one time a raccoon fell into a barrel of sludge with about 6 inches in it what a mess the poor thing was in but once we had a family of ducks and the old man called the office and had animal control remove the mother and the ducklings another time an otter was hanging around for the spring fit out

[MarcE]

I have never seen a rat on any of the boats i sailed on, just an occasional bat flying around inside. We would catch them in a box and let them go.
Hissing little boogers!

[Guest]

I'm surprised that lake freighters, especially grain carriers, do not seem to have problems with mice, etc. Rodents have got to be about the most common type of warm blooded animal as there never appears to be a shortage of them in any parts of the world I have lived. Spending time with a coworker trying to stem a rodent problem he had in a countryside home in Michigan a few years ago took away any dreams I had of having a secluded country cabin! From my experience in working in a factory, rodents are among the most tenacious and unrelenting creatures I have ever encountered. That being said, I find it interesting that they appear to be uncommon on lake freighters. I do recall, however, seeing a small flock of pigeons nesting on the deck of the Gordon C. Leitch while it was downbound at the Soo Locks around 10 years ago. I was somewhat surprised that the crew hadn't removed them as they appeared to be making quite a mess. I will have to look and see if I have any photos.

[Guest]

While shipkeeping on the Algosteel in early 2016 in Toronto’s port lands, Rocky and Ringo Raccoon would regularly get on board. Don’t look at me, the wife named them when she visited one weekend. I never saw signs of permanent residence on the boat, I figured they scampered up the gangway or the lines securing the boat. The only rodent noticed was one black squirrel, a trip up Cherry St. to T&T Supermarket got it some peanuts in the shell, a few placed out regularly in spots I had noticed it frequented.

[statmk]

Never saw rats or rodents on a great lakes freighter. We used to shoot at them on the dock with sling shots and ore pellets. BUT does anyone else remember hunting bats in the "dance hall" on the stern of the Cliffs Victory behind the after cargo hold? A fair amount of the critters in there at that time.

[Dave2]

There was a CSL vessel scrapped, due to rodents destroying the electrical system. I can't remember which vessel, but I did see it being towed through Iroquois Lock to be taken overseas.

[tugboathunter]

There was a raccoon on the Indiana Harbor in 2017 when they were underway.

[Guest]

A couple of times I've seen racoons on the ship after having a storage load of grain or corn. We had a family of them on the Scott Misener when it came back in service in 1985 or 86, they were living under the spare hatch cover we had

[garbear]

Over the weekend I was helping a relative deal with mice in a camper and that got me wondering as to whether lake freighters have problems with rodents? It is pretty common knowledge that old ocean sailing ships had rats aboard and I imagine the same was true with Great Lakes schooners but was wondering about more modern vessels.

I never saw any when I was sailing in the early 2000's.

Sailed from 1971-79 and never saw any.

[Darryl]

For the most part - no. Lakers that hauled grain in the past could have them, but even then it was rare. It is easier for rodents to run up manila mooring lines than mooring cables and accommodation ladders. So that being said, maybe the ocean ships that come to the lakes to load grain pick them up, or let them off, because there are rats at that grain elevator docks. BTW, it is not uncommon to see a bat on an ore or cement boat.

[Brian Ferguson]

Over the weekend I was helping a relative deal with mice in a camper and that got me wondering as to whether lake freighters have problems with rodents? It is pretty common knowledge that old ocean sailing ships had rats aboard and I imagine the same was true with Great Lakes schooners but was wondering about more modern vessels.

I never saw any when I was sailing in the early 2000's.

[Guest]

Over the weekend I was helping a relative deal with mice in a camper and that got me wondering as to whether lake freighters have problems with rodents? It is pretty common knowledge that old ocean sailing ships had rats aboard and I imagine the same was true with Great Lakes schooners but was wondering about more modern vessels.