S.S. Badger's Blog

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…

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…

LUDINGTON, Mich. — Over its 70-plus years of service, the SS Badger has been a vessel of making special memories for thousands of people that span multiple generations. For one Hart, Michigan family the Badger not only provided an important service during a time of hardship, it has become an integral part of their lives….

This is a view of what the Main Lounge on the SS Badger looked like shortly after it started service in March 1953. For those familiar with the ship, this photo was taken near what is now the cruise director’s office located on the starboard side. Through the years the lounge area was modified to…

Lake Michigan Carferry File Photo of SS Badger’s starboard propeller in dry dock at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 2021. For Immediate Release March 11, 2025 LUDINGTON, Michigan — The SS Badger will be placed into dry dock this spring for repairs in  preparation of the upcoming sailing season. The Badger’s…

The SS Badger was built in 1953. Until 1990, its primary cargo was railcars (thus the name carferry). Since 1992 the Badger’s primary purpose has been to transport passengers, automobiles and commercial vehicles between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This photo shows the railcars being loaded onto the Badger at No. 2 Slip in Ludington…

My wife Sandra and I had planned a cruise after she retired. Then she was diagnosed with cancer. Our travel plans were on hold. Our planned cruise didn’t happen because of the need to stay close to medical care. Since I promised my wife a cruise, I started looking for a suitable substitute. My search…

LUDINGTON, Michigan — SS Badger Wheelsman Joe DeBusk recently received the Interlake Maritime Services Customer First Award, presented during the company’s annual winter meeting in Savannah, Ga. Interlake Maritime Services, which operates the largest shipping fleet on the Great Lakes, acquired Lake Michigan Carferry (LMC) in 2020. DeBusk, who lives in Reed City, Mich. has…

The SS Badger was launched on September 6, 1952 at the docks of Christy Corporation in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In the background is her sister ship, the SS Spartan, which had been launched on Jan. 4, 1952 with little fanfare. Since the two ships were identical, executives at the C&O Railroad wanted to hold a…

Some of my most treasured childhood memories center around my family’s summer pilgrimages from Manitowoc to Ludington aboard the S.S. Badger. Excitement would build for the adventure ahead as we watched our car roll onto the deck.  I’ll never forget my dad’s cheerful ritual of knocking on our state room door, calling out “Ludington, Ludington!”…

On March 16, 1953, a week before the SS Badger’s maiden voyage, its crew posed for a photograph on its bow. Seated centered, in front, is Capt. Bernard Robertson, the Badger’s first captain. Other officers included John Turner, first mate; J.E. Halden, second mate; Willis Cross, Jr., third mate; Sylvester Larsen, chief engineer; Raymond Hall,…

Badger Tales “I have been riding the Badger since the early 90s. As a kid my family would take short vacations to visit various museums along the Wisconsin and Michigan sides of the Lake and the ride on the Badger was always a huge highlight of those trips. “My most recent trip was In 2022…