Alumnus Captains Longest Great Lakes Vessel

Northern alumnus Steve Hughes first became aware of the maritime industry as a curious, casual observer growing up in Marquette, where freighter traffic is firmly entrenched in local history and identity. His 97-year-old dad, John, a former NMU geography professor, used to take him to watch ships navigate to the imposing docks to be loaded with iron ore pellets that fuel the steelmaking process. Hughes could not have imagined then that he would embark on a three-decade career in the industry, rising to the rank of captain. He will retire in December from a rare perch as pilot of the longest vessel operating on the Great Lakes: the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha.

"The distinction is more symbolic than operational," said Hughes, who resides in Duluth. "I don't like having attention drawn to myself, but that happens to some degree, only because there's a group of avid ship fans who really love this boat. Also known as 'Queen of the Lakes,' she measures 1,013.5 feet. That's actually only 9.5 feet longer than the next largest; there are a handful of 1,004-foot boats."

"I previously captained both the James R. Barker and the Mesabi Miner in a relief capacity. The length difference between this ship and those isn't detectable from the pilot house, and it doesn't influence how we operate, but the recognition associated with the Paul R. Tregurtha carries weight among mariners and enthusiasts alike. Because senior captains are typically assigned to the longer vessels, when you get to command one of them, it's considered the pinnacle of the profession. My mentor, Capt. Tim Dayton, who commanded the ship until his retirement in 2014, prepared me to follow in his footsteps, which was pretty special."

During a June afternoon interview for this piece, Hughes and his crew were traversing a flat stretch of eastern Lake Superior shrouded in a thick veil of fog. He said mariners call this period "summer sailing," when the weather is consistently calmer and less of a concern. When a vessel is underway in open water-as on this day-the captain is often off watch, resting or reading, while a mate runs operations on the bridge.

"Last night, I was up virtually all night in the St. Mary's River," he said. "We arrived there at about 1:20 a.m. In northern Lake Michigan, there's Gray's Reef Passage, which is a narrow spot, and then the Mackinac Bridge to cruise under, and then you go past Mackinac Island, another sort of confined water spot. I took a quick nap between Mackinac Island and the St. Mary's River, but didn't get out until 9 a.m. But it takes 24 hours to get across Lake Superior, so there's plenty of opportunity to catch up on sleep."

Hughes elaborated on the dual role of a freighter captain, which blends both skillful hands-on navigation through more challenging environments and effectively managing people who are together 24/7 in relatively close quarters.

"In terms of ship handling, captains do all of the driving at the locks, into harbors and position them alongside the docks," he explained. "It's just me and the wheelsman in the pilot house when we're doing that and the wheelsman is following my directions. Every one of us has had heart-in-the-throat moments, when you're dealing with weather or environmental conditions that make it difficult. When you manage to rise above that challenge and pull off something that isn't easy, it can be very rewarding.

"As for leading the crew, I do what I can to promote a family-type atmosphere. I emphasize that we're living and working together, and all striving toward the same goal. There are definite rewards in that, and when it works out, it's very good."

Technical skills serve as a major component and used to be valued far more than interpersonal skills, Hughes said. But he added that there has been a growing emphasis on the ability to manage the crew in recent years.

Hughes did not venture down the path to the captain's chair until after college. He completed a bachelor's degree in economics from Northern while working as a student photographer in what was then the NMU News Bureau. He earned a graduate degree in the same discipline at Michigan State University.

After working briefly at a research institute, where his position and others were eliminated by budget cuts, Hughes viewed the unfortunate development as a timely opportunity to shift directions. He charted a new career course based on his lifelong familiarity with the Great Lakes.

"I've loved being on the water my entire life. My dad got us into sailing at a very early age, and we watched the ships come into Marquette. I finally reached a point where I thought, how can I make money doing what I enjoy? I figured becoming a mariner was the best avenue for that."

Hughes began attending Great Lakes Maritime Academy in 1997 and gained extensive experience as a cadet with Interlake Steamship Company during the three-year program. He was hired full time by the Ohio-based company immediately afterward.

In his first 13 years as a mate, Hughes handled much of the day-to-day navigation and cargo loading/unloading work under a rotating watch schedule. He was also treated to "incredible" Aurora displays and unique phenomena such as water spouts. After relieving captains occasionally, he took advantage of an opportunity to move up to that level permanently.

"I definitely made the right choice in transitioning from economics to the maritime industry, and Interlake has been a great company to work for," he said. "One of the really nice things is the autonomy we have out on the lakes. The shore-based management is pretty hands off. As long as we're doing what we're supposed to do, they don't micromanage at all. They let us do our thing, and I respect and appreciate that."

Hughes treasures a past photo taken of him and his wife, Jeanine, with company executive Paul Tregurtha and his wife, Lee, whose names grace two active freighters. Hughes was captain of both vessels, so he requested a photo with their namesakes during a social hour at an Interlake winter meeting.

When asked about the employment outlook in the maritime shipping industry, given concerns about AI's impact on other occupations, Hughes said every graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy should be able to secure a job because of demand. He added that there have been technological improvements over the course of his career in radar and electronic charting, "but we still do things pretty much the old-fashioned way. There's no AI getting involved in driving the boat; it's all done by human beings."

After three decades in the field-or, more appropriately, on the water-Hughes will step away from the pilot house for the last time in December. Retirement comes with mixed feelings, he admits, but also plenty of gratitude for being able to turn his childhood curiosity about lake freighters passing through Marquette into a fulfilling, lifelong career aboard them.