B.A.L.L. Lecture Series

A Hands-on Journey on the Great Lakes with a Master Mariner

Shipping on the Great Lakes has been an integral part of our economy for over 200 years.  This marine highway extends over 3,700 kilometres from the St. Lawrence Seaway to the western edges of Lake Superior.
I will share my hands-on knowledge and experience from working on various cargo vessels such as bulk vessels, self unloaders and tankers.  This will include the ship’s crew, ports visited, cargoes carried and navigation upbound and downbound through the Great Lakes including the Soo Locks, the Welland Canal and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Over the years, there have been many positive changes and some challenges affecting the marine industry.  I will highlight some of these changes that I witnessed over my time on the ships.

Lecturer –    Captain Tim Poste 

Captain Tim Poste is currently retired after a career as a Master Mariner on the Great Lakes.  Coming from a family of mariners and following in their footsteps, his career spanned forty three years.  Tim worked on many different vessels carrying cargoes to and from ports throughout the Great Lakes to ports in the Gulf of St Lawrence and beyond.  In his retirement, Tim has maintained his marine connections by teaching part time on the vessel simulators at Georgian College in Owen Sound.