SS Badger worker tests positive for coronavirus
MANITOWOC - The SS Badger car ferry has suspended cruises across Lake Michigan after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Sara Spore, SS Badger general manager, told the Herald Times Reporter that the employee was quarantined on shore as soon as managers learned the worker had been exposed to COVID-19.
The crew member tested positive for the coronavirus and the company conducted contact tracing, she said, adding three additional crew members were quarantined and are awaiting test results.
“The safety of our employees and passengers is our top priority,” said Mark Barker, president of Interlake Maritime Services, which operates the Lake Michigan car ferry.
The company suspended operation after its last sailing on Tuesday.
The ship expects to resume trips for both those with and without reservations on Aug. 19, Spore said. The company will reschedule or offer refunds to those who have reservations during the time the Badger is docked for the quarantine.
Passengers can call 800-841-4243 to adjust bookings. Spore said reservations can be changed up to and until Oct. 10, which ends the 2021 season, without changes to fees or fees related to funding.
“We do not take your business for granted,” she said. “We appreciate your understanding in these difficult times, and we urge you to be patient with our reservation agents as they work hard to assist the many impacted customers.”
The SS Badger opened the 2021 season on May 20 and has been running at its full 600-person capacity. Ferry crews follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pandemic protocols, including social distancing and encouraging mask wearing. The ship is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, Spore said.
The ferry is under new ownership this season after being purchased by Cleveland-based Interlake Holding company in December 2020, along with the Lake Michigan Car Ferry and the Pere Marquette Shipping companies. Most changes within the company were behind-the-scenes and few changes were planned for the SS Badger, other than possible sprucing up or painting.
Many folks travel from one side of Lake Michigan to the other to vacation before returning home, while others buy a one-way ticket, seeing the trip as more fun, relaxing and faster than driving through heavy Chicago traffic to get around the lake. Others will take the “loop tour,” traveling on the SS Badger one way and driving back home via Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
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