St. Clair, Michigan

Palmer Park & Boardwalk

The blue hull and white forward pilothouse of classic freighter John D. Leitch passing by.

A black and white oceangoing ship with yellow deck cranes approaching.

A huge red and white lake freighter followed by a blue oceangoing ship.

St. Clair River View

Palmer Park is a beautiful, large park with a riverfront boardwalk that stretches along several city blocks. It offers an amazing view of the St. Clair River, and the ships pass by here pretty close to shore as they wind through some bends in the river. Located in the heart of downtown St. Clair, there are several dining and shopping options next to and across the street from the park.

3 Large ships approaching with a power plant in the background.

St. Clair Reels

A salute from the beautiful 623’ saltie ship Koznitza (Navibulgar), as she heads up the St. Clair River. October 02, 2025.

A really cool sounding salute from CSL Tadoussac! Great closeup views of this beautiful classic lake freighter, built in 1969, in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. September 13, 2025.

705’ Articulated tug barge Defiance - Ashtabula on the St. Clair River, passing St. Clair, Michigan. September 06, 2025.

Articulated tug barge Olive L. Moore - Menominee, down bound on the St. Clair River, heading to Marine City with a load of stone. Great engine sounds on this one! St. Clair, Michigan, September 23, 2025.

635’ Algoma Buffalo (Algoma Central Corporation) on the St. Clair River, downbound passing St. Clair, Michigan. August 29, 2025.

Algoma Discovery heading up the St. Clair River at St. Clair, Michigan. August 29, 2025.

Articulated Tug- Barge Joyce L. VanEnkevort - Great Lakes Trader, downbound on the St. Clair River, passing through the St. Clair River Classic offshore powerboat races. July 27, 2025.

The BIGGEST ship on the Great Lakes, Paul R. Tregurtha, down-bound on the St. Clair River, passing St. Clair, Michigan. July 19, 2025.

655’ 10” Saltie, Helena G (Granath) heading up the St. Clair River. May 02, 2025.

634’ 10” Great Lakes freighter Great Republic (Great Lakes Fleet) riding low with a heavy load, downbound on the St. Clair River. December 08, 2024.

806' Great Lakes freighter, Hon. James L. Oberstar (Interlake Steamship Company), downbound on the St. Clair River, passing by St. Clair, Michigan. January 11, 2025.

768' Classic Great Lakes freighter John G. Munson (Great Lakes Fleet) blows a horn salute as she passes St. Clair, Michigan, downbound on the St. Clair River. April 26, 2025.

St. Clair Videos

Royal Canadian Navy WARSHIP on the Great Lakes!

Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Margaret Brooke, a 338' Harry DeWolf Class arctic and offshore patrol vessel, heading up the St. Clair River, on her way to Thunder Bay, Ontario, as she tours the Great Lakes. September 16, 2025.

Large Freighter Blows 5 Short Warning Blasts at a Small Fishing Boat!

Canadian Great Lakes freighter Algoma Niagara (Algoma Central Corporation) blows 5 short horn blasts at a fishing boat, while heading downbound on the St. Clair River. September 08, 2025.

One of a Kind Classic Lake Freighter in Sunday Boat Traffic!

730’ Classic Great Lakes freighter John D. Leitch (Algoma Central Corporation) heads up the St. Clair River, passing by St. Clair, Michigan on a busy Sunday evening. July 20, 2025.

1,004' Great Lakes freighter Mesabi Miner heads downbound on the St. Clair River, passing St. Clair, Michigan, as the crew is working on deck preparing to unload coal at the DTE power plant. May 11, 2025.

1,004' Giant of the Great Lakes - Mesabi Miner

Northern Venture (McKeil Marine) a 508.5' river class, self-unloading Great Lakes freighter, heads upbound on the St. Clair River in a heavy wind, passing St. Clair, Michigan. May 08, 2025.

Two Great Lakes freighters, 740' CSL Welland and 740' CSL Niagara, both vessels of Canada Steamship Lines, meet on the St. Clair River and exchange a horn salute. June 08, 2025.

CSL Lake Freighters Pass Each Other and Exchange a Horn Salute!

A Windy Day on the St. Clair River for this Colorful Lake Freighter!

Great Lakes Cruise Ship Blasts Out a Horn Salute!

Beautiful Classic Freighter Makes Her First Run of the Season

Great Lakes Tanker Encounters a BIRD Storm in Icy Waters

MASSIVE Lake Freighter Indiana Harbor Unleashes its Horn!

DON'T Miss Sequoia's Long Journey Home

740 Foot Lake Freighter Gracefully Navigates the St. Clair River

Great Lakes cruise Ship blasts out a nice horn salute! 665' Polar Class 6 cruise ship, Viking Octantis (Viking Cruises) heading upbound on the St. Clair River, to Alpena, Michigan, from Detroit, Michigan. April 25, 2025.

Beautiful Classic Lake Freighter Kaye E. Barker (Interlake Steamship Company) Makes Her First Run of the Season. She is seen here upbound on the St. Clair River enroute to Marquette, Michigan. March 24, 2025.

Great Lakes tanker Algoluna (Algoma Central Corporation) heading downbound on the St. Clair River, fighting her way through icy water and a large swarm of birds. January 26, 2025.

1,000 foot long Great Lakes freighter Indiana Harbor (American Steamship Company) gives a ship horn salute while passing Palmer Park in St. Clair, Michigan. The massive vessel is approaching the DTE power plant on the St. Clair River, loaded down heavy with coal, while the 1,000' American Century can be seen in the distance, departing after unloading at the plant. November 24, 2024.

US Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia gives a horn salute on the St. Clair River in St. Clair, Michigan, enroute to her new home port in Port Huron, Michigan. September 07, 2024.

740' CSL (Canada Steamship Lines) self-unloading Great Lakes freighter Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin, gracefully navigating the curves of the winding St. Clair River as she passes St. Clair, Michigan. November 03, 2024.