S.S. Badger: Lake Michigan Carferry

03/31/2025

Imagine this Badger Builder's Print framed and hanging in a man-cave or study wall? For the ultimate Badger Souvenir Collector, you really need this!!! This high quality reproduction print is 60-inches by 32.5-inches. Supplies are limited. Order today at ssbadger.com!

03/30/2025

Monday is the last day to vote!

03/30/2025

The 2025 S.S. Badger cross lake sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET). 🛟

03/29/2025

History Saturday: The Chadburn Engine Order Telegraphs ⚓

Technology on board the S.S. Badger spans nearly 200 years. One of the oldest forms of technology is the engine order telegraph (EOT), which is used to communicate between the pilot houses and the engine room.

The EOT was created by an engineer and medical doctor named Charles Grafton Page (1812-1868) in the 1850s. The EOT is a device that allows the captain or officers on a ship's bridge (pilot house) to transmit specific speed and direction orders to the engineers in the engine room, improving navigation safety and efficiency.

Charles Page earned a degree in medicine from Harvard College in 1836 and gave lectures on chemistry. While still a medical student, he conducted a groundbreaking experiment which demonstrated the presence of electricity in an arrangement of a spiral conductor that no one had tried before. The device emitted shocks and Page advocated for it to be used for medical treatment, an early form of electrotherapy. But, his own interest lay in its heightening of electrical tension, or voltage, above that of the low voltage battery input. After improvements, he named it the Dynamic Multiplier.

His experiments led to the invention of the induction coil. His work was cited by Alexander Graham Bell, 30 years later, as an important precedent for Bell's development of the telephone.

He later invented many other electromagnetic devices and even consulted with Samual F.B. Morse and Alfred Lewis Vail on the development of telegraph apparatus and techniques. He contributed to the adoption of suspended wires using a ground return, designed a signal receiver magnet and tested a magneto as a source of substitute for the battery.

Another one of Page's inventions included the Axial Engine, an electromagnetic locomotive.

EOTs on the Badger are located in the engine room and both the forward and aft pilot houses. Passengers can witness the EOT in use when the captain moves to the aft pilot house during docking. During this procedure, a series of maritime music occurs as a variety of bells chime from the EOT indicating various communication back and forth between the captain and the engineers. Down in the engine room, two engineers monitor the EOTs -- one controlling the starboard side engines, one controlling the port side engines while an oiler keeps watch on the instruments.

The EOTs on board the Badger were manufactured by Chadburn's Limited of Liverpool, England, which is why they are often referred to as "Chadburns." Chadburn and its predecessor companies were responsible for 75 percent of the world's marine telegraph production. The Badger's Chadburns were installed during her construction in 1952 and continue to be used as a primary source of communications.

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).

Lake Michigan Carferry operates the S.S. Badger, the largest cross-lake passenger and car ferry service on the Great Lakes. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the Badger is a key part of US-10 highway connecting the cities of Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis. A vital link across Lake Michigan, the Badger can accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, motorcoaches, and commercial trucks and oversized loads in one single trip. www.ssbadger.com

Interlake Maritime Services is a family of companies with nearly 300 years of collective service on the Great Lakes. A family-owned and -led company in its second generation, Interlake Maritime and its more than 50 shoreside employees manage The Interlake Steamship Company, Interlake Logistics Solutions, Lake Michigan Carferry, Soo Maritime Services and Interlake Port Services from its corporate headquarters in Middleburg Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and additional regional offices in Ludington, Mich., and Sault Sainte Marie, Mich. www.interlakemaritimeservices.com

03/28/2025

Visit Manitowoc! We can't wait to see you.

03/28/2025

Keep in touch with the latest happenings at the SS Badger. Sign up now to receive our email updates. 🛟

www.ssbadger.com

03/27/2025

Update- Looks like we have a clear winner. Thank you!
We need your help!
Every year we have a new Crossings Magazine. This year we are torn on which cover to use.
This is where you come in.
To vote Click on the picture you want to vote for and like that individual picture.
(Only reactions on the individual picture will be counted.)
We will tally the votes at 4p ET on Friday, March 28.

03/27/2025

2025 season offers new food and beverage choices

The SS Badger features some of the best food and drinks on Lake Michigan. The 2025 sailing season features enhanced culinary and beverage choices.

"We have listened to our passengers and are providing some new options to make their cruise an even more enjoyable experience," said Wesley Paggeot, Lake Michigan Carferry director of hospitality.

The Badger Galley is a dream stop for "bingoholics" with stadium-style concessions and a few healthier options such as salads, fruit and vegetable cups, and fresh sandwiches. To satisfy the sweet tooth, passengers can cool off with an assortment of ice cream treats.

New this season to the Upper Deck Cafe are full meals featuring baked chicken breast, beef tips and gravy and good old-fashioned meatloaf. All entrees come with a choice of two sides or one soup plus a soft drink. The Upper Deck Cafe also features some of its traditional meals including a full breakfast, hamburgers, and other hot sandwiches.

The Cabana Room is a place to relax with a drink from the bar or to get a caffeine boost for the next leg of the journey. A full bar offers a variety of adult beverages while the coffee bar serves whole bean coffee ground for each cup. All ships' bars feature new signature drinks as well.

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).

03/26/2025

Stay warm with this Badger sweatshirt! 🛟

$24.95 ($26.95 XXL)

Shipping available.

ssbadgerstore.com

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).

03/25/2025

Northwestern Michigan College

Join the Great Lakes Maritime Academy’s Open Ship on Saturday, April 12, from 1–4 PM for a unique opportunity to explore maritime careers. Tour the training ship, meet current cadets, and learn about becoming a shipboard chef or Navy officer. Merchandise will be available for purchase (cash only!).

The event takes place rain or shine at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus, 715 E. Front St. Visitors should wear closed-toe, soft-soled shoes for safety.
Don’t miss this chance to experience life on the water!

03/25/2025

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).


03/25/2025

Visit Manitowoc!

The Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse, a beacon of maritime history, has stood watch over Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shoreline for over a century. It not only guides vessels safely into the harbor but also represents the rich nautical heritage of Manitowoc, the Maritime Capital of Wisconsin. 2025....

03/24/2025

Ludington, Michigan loves the Badger!

It is a tradition for Ludington Elementary School students to line the channel during the Badger's first sailing of the season. In 2024, fog blanketed Ludington harbor as the Badger left for her first trip of the year to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Hopefully, we get sunshine this year.

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).

03/23/2025

Lake Michigan Carferry Office Manager Shari Vandervest knows a thing or two about the car ferry operation. She has worked for LMC for three decades.

"I was hired as a temporary worker with Manpower in 1994. I was only supposed to be here for six months," Vandervest said. "Thirty-one years later, I'm still here and I absolutely love it.

Working at LMC is more than just a job. This is my second family."
Lake Michigan Carferry, under the ownership of Charles Conrad, with partners Jim Anderson and Don Clingan, began in 1991 following the bankruptcy of locally-owned Michigan-Wisconsin Transportation, which had operated the car ferries since 1983 after the Chessie System (C&O Railroad) abandoned cross-lake ferry service. Car ferry service resumed with the S.S. Badger in 1993 as a six-month service concentrating on passenger and automobile and commercial vehicle service rather than rail cars. Conrad turned over the leadership of the company to his son-in-law, Robert Manglitz in 1993, though he remained involved until his passing in 1995.

"At the end of my first season, everybody got laid off," Vandervest said. "Then two days later Bob (Manglitz) called and offered me a full time position as a secretary."

Vandervest eventually advanced to executive assistant. When LMC was purchased by Interlake Maritime Service in 2020 she was promoted to office manager.

"For almost 31 years, every day when I get up I am not going to work. I am coming to my second home. The people at this company are not co-workers. They are my brothers and sisters.
There is such amazing teamwork here that I have not seen elsewhere. Everyone is dedicated to ensuring the tradition of the Badger continues to serve Ludington and Manitowoc. You just can't describe the passion that people here have. It's a passion that extends into our communities. The 200-plus employees here are the keepers of the Badger and that's such a privilege and honor."

Vandervest said the highest priority of the Badger crew is to ensure that passengers have the best experience when on their Lake Michigan crossing.

A 1988 graduate of Ludington High School, Vandervest's family is part of the Ludington-based car ferry tradition. She is the third generation of her family to work for the boats. Her grandfather, Larry Comstock Sr. served as a chef on the C&O car ferries. Her uncle, Jim Bailey, worked in the C&O marine shop then later worked for LMC.

"The first time I rode the Badger I believe I was 5-years-old," Vandervest said. "I remember walking up the ramp to the upper car deck, which is how you would embark on the boat back then. I can remember taking a trip to Milwaukee where my family visited the Milwaukee Zoo. We took the Spartan (the Badger's sister ship) back to Ludington.

"In those days, in the 1970s, the chefs wore the traditional high chef's hats and there were waiters in the dining lounge. The tables had linens. It felt like first class."

The car ferry business has changed with the times but the tradition remains, thanks to Interlake Maritime Services, based out of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Interlake owns one of the largest freighter fleets on the Great Lakes, along with the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.

"I fully believe that the car ferry service would no longer be here if it weren't for Interlake," Vandervest said. "The company has made major investments into the Badger and its dock and they also respect the knowledge of the Ludington-based team. They trust what we do and it's been a great relationship, extending our work family even more."

Would you like to join the Badger Family? We offer a variety of year-round and seasonal jobs. View details and apply at ssbadger.com/join-the-crew.

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).

03/22/2025

🌟 Buy Now, Save Later with Our Family Four Pack! 🌟

Spring is just around the corner, and we at the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours are thrilled to offer a special promotion for the month of April! Secure your tickets now and enjoy an unforgettable family adventure at a fantastic price.

Introducing the Family Four Pack: 🎟️ 2 Adults + 2 Children for just $72 (regularly $80)! 🎟️ Additional kids' savings available at our ticket booth when you use this special offer for even more great savings!

Don't miss out on this amazing deal! Explore the historic Soo Locks, learn about the rich history, and cruise alongside giant ships. Our tours run 7 days a week, rain or shine.

👉 Read more and purchase tickets here: https://www.originalsoolocktours.com/news-and-events/buy-now-save-later-original-soo-locks-family-four-pack.html

Join us for a true maritime adventure and create lasting memories with your family. We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

03/22/2025

History Saturday: Passing Ships ⚓

For decades it was a common site to see multiple car ferries coming and going from Ludington, Michigan's port. In this photograph, taken in the 1980s passengers on the bow of the SS Badger watch the SS City of Midland 41 pass by.

The City of Midland continues to serve the Great Lakes as the barge Pere Marquette 41 with its tug The Undaunted, operating as Interlake Logistics Solutions and based in Ludington. Both the Badger and the Pere Marquette 41 are owned and operated by Interlake Maritime Services.

The 2025 sailing season begins Friday, May 16. To reserve tickets visit ssbadger.com or call 800-841-4243 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET).
Photo from the Mason County Historical Society Rose Hawley Archives and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum .

03/21/2025

Today, the SS Badger celebrates her 72nd birthday! Her maiden voyage from Ludington was March 21, 1953. ⚓ 🎂 🎉