The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw has loaded some 13-hundred Christmas trees onto the ship at its home port of Cheboygan, Michigan headed for Chicago, where they're being offloaded during a special ceremony, then delivered to needy families. The Ninth Coast Guard District External Affairs Office says this year marks the 100th anniversary of the wreck of the schooner Rouse Simmons, the original Christmas Ship, which sank between Kewaunee and Two Rivers, Wisconsin one-hundred years ago on today's date (Nov. 23, 1912) in a storm during its transit to Chicago. To mark the anniversary, a special collection of 100 trees from an area outside of Two Rivers, where the Rouse Simmons launched, are set to be included. During the transit to Chicago, the crew of Mackinaw is also tossing a wreath into Lake Michigan near the resting place of the Rouse Simmons.

Rouse Simmons sets sail

(courtesy of: sailfarlivefree.com )

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