Tug boat Capt. Dale Wiegand has been working on the water for nearly 40 years, the last 13 for The Great Lakes Towing Company helping ships maneuver into and out of the Port of Green Bay.
Wiegand took over from legendary tug boat Capt. Lyle Osell, who worked on the boats into his 90s.
The company’s two tugs, the Washington and the Texas, are docked on the Fox River under the Mason Street Bridge.
During the shipping season, which usually runs April through December, Wiegand and fellow Capt. Bill Hermes of Green Bay, ply the waters of the river and lower bay with their 2,000 hp diesel-electric boats helping ships like the Alpena navigate the channel.
When he’s not working on the water, Wiegand says he enjoys playing on the water.
“I’m on the water all the time,” Wiegand said. “Fishing in the summer and snowmobiling or ice fishing in the winter.”
Nick Wood Photo