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Thank you Sir. I learned something new today.

Rinsing is for cleaning off the deck and the conveyor spaces after a load or unload, they can legally rinse small amounts of residue over the side on the east side of the lake.

Thank you for your great response. And it makes sense.

Interestingly, on Monday May 29 both the Olive L Moore/Menominee (upbound) and the Mark W Barker (downbound) passed by Oscoda relatively close to shore.

Your comment about strong western winds makes a lot of sense. I've noticed even ships coming from the Detroit River often sail due west after rounding Michigan's Thumb until they near the coast off Tawas City or Oscoda before making a turn north when there is a strong western wind. And downbound ships will similarly hug the coast to near Tawas City and then make a turn east to go around the Thumb.

When you mentioned getting a "rinse," are you referring to washing off the deck using the deck sprinklers or other equipment?

The LCA (Lake Carrier Association) routes have been around for a very long time, but they are only recommended routes. Masters don't have to follow them, and often they have their own preferred distance they like to keep off shore. It's easier to avoid each other if they stay relatively close to their upbound and downbound line, but some people just have to be difficult and travel the wrong way on an LCA. Being in Oscoda, the ships will probably get very close to your shore in strong western winds as they hug the shore around Saginaw Bay rather than crossing the open bay. And it being Lake Huron, you may be seeing boats heading far out into the open lake to get on the Canadian side where they can legally rinse.

From my place on Lake Huron near Oscoda, Michigan, I often see both upbound and downbound freighters. Traditionally, they passed by close enough to get a pretty good view of them through the binoculars, particularly those going to or from Saginaw River ports. That said, I have very recently noticed that both upbound and downbound traffic is traveling out much further from shore. I would estimate 30 - 40 km (18-24 mi) from shore. Is there any particular reason for this? Has there been a formal or even informal change in shipping lanes?