Working Conditions Aboard the State-Of-Michigan

On Saturday morning, an impressive maritime sight captured the attention of onlookers as the 224-foot, black-hulled training ship, State of Michigan, made a notable appearance at Buffalo’s Inner Harbor, adjacent to the USS Croaker and USS Little Rock. The vessel was on a well-deserved break from its extensive mission throughout the Great Lakes. Aboard were 56 eager cadets, in their inaugural year of training to become sailors and officers ready for the commercial shipping sector. Serving as a vital educational platform for the Great Lakes Maritime Academy based in Traverse City, Michigan, the State of Michigan operates as a floating classroom equipped with 1,800 horsepower. Originally constructed as a submarine surveillance ship, it had journeyed from Toledo, Ohio, and arrived in Buffalo around 9 a.m. Notably, this marks the third consecutive year the State of Michigan has made a brief halt in Buffalo around Memorial Day weekend. However, the stay is short-lived; at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, crew members efficiently prepared for departure, hauling in the gangplank and neatly organizing thick ropes that secured the ship to the dock.