An Aura of Romance

Local Boat Watchers Follow Their Favourite Vessels 

Story by Michael Seguin
Photography by Mike Chase

There’s something about the river that draws the eye.

The way the sunlight shimmers against the waters. The way that blue expanse crouches against the horizon. The sound of the waves lapping against the shore. The way the smell of the lake reaches your nostrils when the wind is just right.

And yet, as Windsorites, we sometimes take for granted the majesty of living on the water. And we also sometimes neglect to notice all the different freighters and barges that drift down the Detroit River.

But many do take the time to notice these magnificent vessels. 

And many, many more have even formed communities around charting their favourite ships.

One such superfan is Roger LeLievre, the Editor and Publisher of Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway, a 63-year-old annual publication. The book provides essential stats on hundreds of freighters, including the owner, year, length, capacity and more. It also shares information on the materials these big boats carry, where they load and unload, all the different canals and waterways they travel down and what the different whistles mean.  

“There’s maybe 150 assorted vessels supplemented by saltwater ships that sail down the seaway,” Roger LeLievre explains. “Tugboats. Barges. Tankers. Carriers. We get quite the traffic down the river!”

Roger has been a boat enthusiast all his life. He’s been a figurehead of the community for decades, sharing his knowledge with countless other fans. 

“Since 1995, during the early days of the internet, a community sprang up on a website called BoatNerd.com,” Roger states. “After a couple years, people started suggesting meeting up in person. So in 1998, we had our first gathering in Sault Ste. Marie. Over 150 people showed up! But the whole Boat Nerd community is much, much vaster than that.”

Another such member of the community is Mike Chase, the Owner of Windsor Aerial Drone Photography. 

“I opened my photography business around three years ago,” Mike recalls. “I quickly branched out into taking photos of ships because I’m adjacent to the river in Amherstburg.”

Many of the photos Mike has taken have been featured in publications across the globe.

It wasn’t long before Mike realized how large and how passionate the boat watching community around Windsor and Essex County truly was. He joined several Facebook groups, including “Fans of the Book Know Your Ships,” “Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers” and “Great Lakes Shipping Channels.” Many of these groups are homes to upwards of 40,000 members.

“I had no idea these ships had such a following!” Mike states. “The water just seems to attract people. It’s so relaxing, sitting back and watching these barges sailing down the river. There’s even apps people use to track their favourite ships. You can get all kinds of information on them, such as where they’re going, how fast they’re travelling and their approximate arrival time.”

One such app, MarineTraffic Ship Tracker, has over millions of users. 

“People can’t get enough of these big floating dump trucks!” Roger laughs. “They get so invested in the ships themselves and the people manning them. They find out the names of the crew, the company who owns it, the captain. Sometimes I like to call this NASCAR on the water, just slower.”

Every boat watcher, Roger explains, has their favourite ship. And each boat has its own Facebook page, where users can come together and share statistics and other information.

“Boat Nerds. Boat Geeks. Freighter Fans,” Roger states. “Some of us have been involved in the community for decades. I’ve been watching boats since I was 6 years old, and I’m 68 now!”

As well, the relative decline in the boating industry has led to fewer vessels setting sail in recent years. However, this has only led to boat sightings becoming even more sacred to fans.

“The less ships travel downriver, the more people come out in droves to see them,” Roger notes. “Folks find these freighters fascinating. They want to know where the boats are from, how big they are, who owns it. They want all those questions answered!”

That said, these big ships continue to serve a vital function—shipping materials from Windsor and Essex County to all kinds of distant shores.

“People don’t realize how much ship-traffic impacts the global economy,” Mike explains. “You sometimes see all these different ships from all over the world traveling down the water. They’re transporting things like yachts, wind turbines, fuel, oil, elevators. Even recently, back in February, we transported a 3,000-to-4,000-pound piece of steel that was loaded onto a vessel and sent down to South America.”

And yet, what truly draws the eye towards these freighters is the sheer scale of the vessels. 

“There’s always been an aura of romance with ships,” Roger states. “I think people tap into that. But now, for me, the vessels have just become so familiar. It’s like seeing an old friend go by. I can think back and remember all the other times they traveled by.”

That said, an obsession with boats can present unique challenges.

“I’m such a geek that I have a ship-to-shore radio on 24/7,” Roger admits. “And my name is Roger, so it gets a little alarming when I keep hearing ‘Roger that!’ I think, ‘Why are all these people yelling at me?’ It sometimes wakes me up from a dead sleep!”

The boat watching community continues to draw a crowd. Members range from all ages and all backgrounds.

“It’s a great hobby,” Roger explains. “We have people from senior citizens all the way down to young kids. I get a number of messages around Christmas time from people saying, ‘Oh, my nine-year-old grandson or granddaughter can’t get enough of these boats!’”

Interested in getting involved in the boat watching community? Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway is available at knowyourships.com, Biblioasis and other select Canadian retailers.