Behind the Scenes: Lake Express Ferry ⛴️

Behind the Scenes: Lake Express Ferry ⛴️
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MILWAUKEE (CBS58) -- If you are looking to go from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan, the fastest way is not by car, but by ferry!

A sure sign of summer is seeing the ferry's back on Lake Michigan. It's an adventure, a unique and serene passage from one side to the other. But what goes into making your leisurely trip possible?

"Getting the ship ready is an all-day affair, we start at 4 o’clock in the morning. Before that, we had an all-night shift that's doing the fueling and doing maintenance on the engines," said Aaron Schultz, Lake Express senior vice president.

A nine-person crew, rotating every roundtrip - teamwork is needed to get the ferry ready.

"It's a team effort that goes throughout the day, whether it's the captains and the mates that are steering, the deckhands that are securing the vehicles and loading," Schultz explained.

First steward Samantha Siwieck said communication is key to making sure operations run smoothly

"Team bonding and communication is really important. When we don't have enough crew members, we call one of the deckhands up to help. We definitely make it work," said Siwieck.

The Lake Express carries more than 100,000 passengers a year, and the crew has it down to a science from the moment you board, by foot or by car.

First mate Anthony Koterbski is one of the first faces you see when you drive onboard.

"It's a big game of Tetris, you want to make sure all the cars fit on the boat. The heavy cars go on the bow, to keep the bow down - so the engines are really heavy, they sit on the back of the boat. So, it sits usually like this – I try to get the heavy trucks forward side, so you level that out a little bit. Certain cars fit in certain spots better," Koterbski explained.

As first mate, he also makes sure lines are secure.

"The captain gives the order to let go all lines for and aft. That's my job on the bow, to make sure all the bow lines are thrown off to the shore or tied up secure," said Koterbski.

He is the go-to problem solver. That is, when he is not assisting the captain, but for Koterbski, the best part is the view.

"There's nothing like a sunset over Lake Michigan, those beautiful orange hues, and then the stars at night. It's insane out here," said Koterbski.

Once on board, we made our way up to the bridge.

"We are currently operating at about 1,942 rpms, which is pushing us through the water at 30.9 knots, which is roughly around 35 mph," said Danny Hecko, Lake Express captain.

Danny Hecko has dreamed of becoming a captain since he was in 1st grade.

"At 13, I had my boaters license, so I could do that before I could drive," said Hecko.

Captain Hecko gave us a tour of the bridge, including one of the primary ways he navigates.

"We have our four engines- the Lake Express is a catamaran- we have two engines in each haul totaling 12,000 horsepower, 3,000 horsepower each. We are able to motor everything from up here. On this electric chart it will show up any other traffic, any other large freighter or vessels that might be in our path," said Hecko.

When in the bridge, you might expect to see a classic ship wheel, but not on the Lake Express.

"There’s a few different ways we can steer the vessel - we’ve got the combinators, which we use when we are docking, otherwise we got this joystick that I can control," Hecko explained.

Senior vice president of the Lake Express, Aaron Schultz, said people come from all over just to enjoy the views the ferry offers.

"Somewhere on the ship right now we have people, I looked at the manifest, people from Germany and Belgium are here, and it's early in the season, and then in the middle of the season you’ll see people from all over the world. So, you never know who you're going to meet when you're on the Lake Express."

It's not just a way to avoid annoying traffic, it is a ride that offers freedom. A moment to appreciate the splendor of the Great Lakes.

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