Mackinaw's 62-Year Career Ends With Final Voyage
By Karen Gould

Crowds waited dockside as the Mackinaw slid into her new Mackinaw City berth.

"Moored, 17:35," said Petty Officer Chantel Schmitt, as the old Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw slid into her new berth in Mackinaw City last Wednesday, June 21. Mackinaw had been sailed from Cheboygan, her home port for 62 years, to her new home at the old Railroad Dock, and at 5:30 p.m. that day, she was pretty much at the end of her military career.

The trip might have been to the scrap heap, but the venerable old icebreaker will instead become a museum.

The journey had taken 4.5 hours, with detours past Mackinac Island and under the Mackinac Bridge for farewells.

"I think the sentiment of the day is 'thankful,' said Commander Joseph McGuiness, sitting in his captain's chair shortly after the Mackinaw signaled a final solute to Cheboygan as she glided out of the river mouth into Lake Huron. "We're thankful she's able to retire as a champion and not as a bucket of parts."

She was decommissioned Saturday, June 10, to make way for a new Mackinaw, fitted with the latest technology to serve the Great Lakes in the decades ahead.

The Mackinaw sails past Mackinac Island's west breakwall for the last time. (Photograph by Robert Benjamin.)

As she sailed east, with the Coast Guard helicopter from Traverse City circling overheard, she made the cut between Mackinac and Round islands, turning around and sailing through the passageway again. Her horn offered multiple Great Lakes greetings to both islands, passing ferry boats, a St. Ignace Coast Guard boat, and Fort Mackinac, which saluted with cannon and musket fire.

The Mackinaw began her last voyage at 1 p.m., with more than 550 passengers aboard to take part in the history of it all. Crew on the bridge organized charts, turned on computers, and put on head sets and, at 12:35 p.m., the bow was secured, the call sign was hoisted, and stations were manned. Winds were at 10 knots, visibility was 10 miles, and the water temperature was 59 degrees.

"All right, let's roll," said Lieutenant Douglas Wyatt, the ship's operations officer, as he walked across the bridge.

Photographed 500 feet above the Straits of Mackinac from the south tower of the Mackinac Bridge, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw made two passes underneath the bridge before heading to Mackinaw City to become a floating museum. (Photograph by Tim Burke, courtesy of Mackinac Bridge Authority)

"Today's the day of last," said Michael Locke, an information systems technician from New York who was one of the bridge crew. His next assignment takes him to Denver, Colorado, where he will be a Coast Guard recruiter.

An unidentified voice from the radio of the new Mackinaw (WLBB 30) said, "We wish you fair winds and following seas on your final cruise."

The old Mackinaw signaled with her horn and the new Mackinaw responded, and with that, Commander McGuiness was in his chair and the ship was underway.

Standing on a wooden platform that offers a clear view over the Mackinaw's spray shield and onto the horizon was Jason Moats, special sea detail master helmsman. He said he was honored to be at the helm, but he would remain focused on his job. Once docked, he would be able to think about what the day meant to him.

"You can't really think about anything other than your driving" when the ship is underway, he said. "You have to maintain your focus on what you're doing."

SNBM Moats is headed back to his home state of Florida, where he will be in a small boat station off the Atlantic Ocean called Station Ponce Inlet in New Smyrna Beach.

Having passed Mackinac Island, the Mackinaw headed west toward Lake Michigan and under the Mackinac Bridge.

"I feel a little bit like the father of the bride," Commander McGuiness said with eyes red from the emotions of the day and tears welling up again. "I feel the job's finality and I feel an unfathomable loss."

With him on the journey were his wife and two sons.

Gliding under the bridge, the Mackinaw continued west to St. Helena's Island, receiving and sending a salute from an eastbound freighter.

The Mackinaw turned and headed back to make her final pass under the Mackinac Bridge. As she did so, the bridge foghorn signaled her passage.

Taking the controls of the ship at approximately 3:30 p.m. was Communications Officer Beth Newton, who won an onboard ship contest for the honor. Ensign Newton turned the controls back to Commander McGuiness as the icebreaker neared her new Mackinaw City berth.

"I got as close as I could and had the captain take over," she said. "He brought us in. It was pretty fitting, he brought us in."

The crew was not comfortable with the angle of the first approach to the dock. Having never moored there before, Commander McGuiness ordered the ship into reverse and a second approach was made. As she slid into her new berth, lines were thrown ashore, her flags were lowered, and the Mackinaw was brought to a rest with approximately five feet of water below her keel.

"I'm really happy she's staying in the Straits area," said the commander. "This is where she's practiced and worked and made so many friends over the years, and hopefully where she'll make friends for many years to come."