Hey, everyone. We just wanted to clarify something. As of May of 2023, when this segment was released, there were 13 “thousand footers”-freighters that are 1,000 feet long or more-on the Great Lakes, and the Mesabi Miner is one of them. Some commenters below thought we meant the Mesabi Miner was a “thirteen-thousand footer”-or, 13,000 feet long. It definitely isn’t! It’s one of the Great Lakes’ 13 “thousand footers.” For more info about Great Lakes freighters, take a look at our stories here. 🌊🛥

I am a retired chef and Most of my cooking was for 125 to 150 people three meals and two snacks a day. I can appreciate Sissy's work ethic and attention to her crew. I made all homemade things for my people and paid special attention to allergies, vegetarians and vegans. I love to watch everyone eat and I monitored the trash cans to see if they told me anything about the dislikes and if I noticed something wrong I would adjust it. I don't really know why I enjoy watching Sissy at 0130 but I do. Keep it up Sissy you are special and your crew knows it! You are appreciated by crew and old retired chefs.

This was a great video and brought back a flood of memories. Our Dad sailed for 45 years with US Steel and served on several different ships. He would be gone for most of the year and most of our conversations would be done by writing letters. As children, we were each allowed to take a trip with him, but most often our Mom would drive to various ports on the lakes so we could see him for a couple of hours face to face. My trip was on the Ralph H. Watson. The head cook and stewards were outstanding chefs. The meals and desserts provided were legendary and we still talk about them today. There was a dining room as well as a galley. We were served in the dining room, complete with linens and stoneware dishes. Off hours, we would frequently walk aft to grab a snack from the galley. We got the best of both worlds! It was an adventure to stroll the deck or when storms were high walk the catwalk through the hold. The crew was so generous to make us feel welcome - I think it was a great break from routine to have kids around. Hats off and a heartfelt thanks to the captains and crews of the freighters who sacrifice months away from family and friends to keep the steel industry alive. Sherry Alexander

Love this... I know Sissy personally and she is not only a great cook but an attentive human being who cares for her entire crew as if they were a part of her own family... She is in demand wherever she goes... before the Miner became her permanent vessel she floated from ship to ship in Relief of permanent cooks and every ship wanted her... in the end she's where she's meant to be I think and she's excelling as only she can

What a lovely human being. I’m sure all those men appreciate her.

You see much more comradery here than you do in corporate America. These folks are the backbone of our country, keeping things running around clock. God Bless them all.

just as the kitchen is the heart of the home, truly the kitchen is the heart of any "workers camp", whether it's logging, shipping, camping, all other working business. Sissy seems to have exactly the right touch with her crew. It's wonderful!

This was the first ship I help build at Amship in Lorain Ohio

Chef ur amazing! Great person! God bless!

This was great to see. Great cook and great crew

A cruise ship is likely to bore me to tears, but it would be fascinating to spend a week on a freighter like this just to learn how it all works.

It's easy for us down in Missouri to forget about the vital freighter traffic on the Great Lakes. Big respect to people like Sissy who work hard to keep it moving.

She seems so genuine and honest! A total asset to any company, I hope they realize that

Gosh, I love this. Spent 40 years at sea (6 navy, 34 merchant marine). Only made one trip on the Lakes bringing a tug from Marinette, WI to Quebec (and on to Panama and the West Coast). This brings back so many good memories. After a few years with a company you get to know enough people that it's like your "ship family". Thanks for sharing.

Kudos to the film crew and all who worked on that production - very well narrated, shot, and edited. It's a fascinating study of the ship and her crew, and of course Sissy.

I’m in Western Canada and have a huge respect for those working on Great Lakes tanker ships. What an awesome crew here. Sissy is an important team member who plays a vital role in the morale of the crew. I love the Grinch theme for Christmas!

I’m a 59 y/o lifetime bachelor. Since age 16, maybe 2 home cooked meals a year, one probably thanksgiving at a bar somewhere. Always fast food, convince store or pre-made meal stuff at Publix, hot dogs, sandwiches etc. These guys got it damn good !!!!! 👍

When I was a kid (in my 50's now) one of the iron ore ships was in the Port of Milwaukee. A couple from Florida were care takers, no clue why. But we walked up these long steps and rang the bell. The let us come on the ship and showed us around. One of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life. Those ships are huge and for us didn't look like much until you are onboard.

I'm retired Navy. I kind of regret not going into the merchant service. I miss going to sea. A friend of mine, though, is 70 (!) and he just finished all the paperwork and training to go back to sea! Anyway, shipmates like Sissy are the ones who make the job fun. I'd be proud to be on her ship.

A high school friend was a cook on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers transport barges. He loved his crew and his job and I loved his "what's for supper" and "where am I" posts. RIP Roy

I started as an ocean-going galley boy and retired after 20 years sailing and 10 years teaching cadets and military officers at the international academy level. I’ve trained a lot of Laker officers on both sides of the border. I proudly identify as a “Cook with a Masters License” She’s a “keeper”

Sissy is a special person, you are very lucky to have someone as caring and talented as her. Although I’m sure her talent is missed in the hospital she was working with sissy sure shines as a head chef.

She's a gem and I'm glad the crew all seem to value her. People like that can be pretty hard to come by.

It’s very hard work in the galley aboard any ship. Food, mail, rest are so important for morale…Sissy is a huge part of the overall efficiency of her ship.

Nice to meet you Sissy! This was a wonderful story and as many have said, I am sure your crew adores you. Keep up the great work!

Nice to see hard working people being treated very well!

My dad worked shovelling coal on a tug in the lakes during summers when he was a teen. They slept on the deck with a blanket, but he never mentioned the food.

She is a treasure to the crew on the Miner. Nice story. My un le was a cook on a Merchant Marine vessel in WWII.

What a lovely lady. Her spirit is priceless. Very nice story.

Good food on a seagoing vessel is enormous, as I sailed from 1968 to 1992 and the food made the difference. Good to great food improved every bodies mood and increased productively.

Sissy you are dooing Gods work!! What a sweet person.

Culinary adeptness is important, but so is 'attitude'. And she's got it. 👍

Sissy, Jambalaya is an awesome way to clean out the fridge on a Sunday. Cooked chicken, Bacon, Veggies, All go in. Cholula Hot Sauce. That boat is lucky to have you.

My father worked on the Great Lakes steamships from about 1939 to about 1944 and was a porter and sometime a cook. I still have his seaman's discharge book that shows all the travels and ports and names of the ships. I love seeing this video. I remember him cooking at home, for the whole week, as he seemed to know how to cook for lots of people. Thanks you for this cannel and this video

Nice segment of a subject I have never thought about. Sissy’s great!

My wife and I both really enjoyed watching this! My wife was thinking up things she would feed the crew!

That's good reality tv right there. Beautiful and loving people!

I was fortunate enough to be invited for supper on the SS Arthur Anderson, and it was magnificent

What a wonderful person. God bless you!

That woman has a heart of gold. Priceless.

Worked on Canadian lake boats in the 80s. Cook makes or breaks a boat! She's awesome!!

Way back in the early 1960's my cousin, who resided in the Detroit area, worked on the Great Lakes freighters. My family lived near Buffalo. One time when my cousin was at the Buffalo port, my family put on a cook out with hot dogs and such. My cousin loved it. He related that the food on the ship was always pretty fancy so a simple hot dog was special for him!

❤ saying hello from Chicago Illinois USA 💯

Yum!

Thanks for sharing! (Definitely an upbeat change from some of the Great Lake storm vids I've seen lately!)

The Great Lakes? I would love to see a documentary of that ship! I don't live far from Lake Erie but I have yet to see a big ship and how they survive and how they work...

i worked on the ss meldrum bay for Quebec and Ontario shipping way back in the day and the cooks were absolutely FANTASTIC later i joined the mv ontadoc coastal freighter same company and again the cooks really took care of the crew. Salute to all the Laker crews out there especially if your on self destroyers (Lakers with Booms)

Sissy looks like she's a treasure. You can feel that she cares about the people she's looking after.

Extraordinarily and exceptionally well done.

This is excellent ... thanks and YAY! Sissy.

Very Nice.... Love her Attitude .. A Nice hot Meal and a Friendly Smile , certainly will boost Morale for sure ..

makes me hungry watching

Vanilla Fudge, my favorite rock band ever. St.Paul,Minnesota.

Been on cargo ships. One cook was bad. But rest were awesome!

Sissy is an amazing human being.

Hope she is paid well

I knew I should have joined the Navy.

Very cool! You should do a story about St. Joughnuts and the special program the Harbormaster started to treat the smaller freighters that visit his Harbor. They usually don’t have a dedicated cook like Sissy.

Remarkable Lady!

Having spent a good bit of time at sea over the course of my career, I can agree that the food and chefs play a huge part in moral and quality of life while afloat. Looked like a great ship to work on.

God bless this woman. For realzies.

Well done! Great video!😊

8:13 "Merry Grinchmas or Whatever" 😂 Sissy seems so great I'd love to try her cooking some time!

a couple times in my time at sea ( 20years)I had to cook for 24 crew ,but no fancy stuff as I was also the ships electrician and engine room crew

My grandfather was a cook on clipper ships around the end of the 19th century. I wonder what he'd think of a modern galley like this.

Been looking for this type video for quite awhile. had an uncle who was a cook on the "ore boats". i knew that crew ate well. now i have the munchies! thanks. well done.

I sailed as a Second Cook/Baker and then Chief Steward / Chief Cook on the Great Lakes from 1976 to 1981.

Nice galley, looks like fun work!

Wow she’s amazing !!!

This is a great human being

OMG the food! I'd gain 100 lbs in a week on that ship! She's amazing!!

Wow. Watt a dedicated worker.

Geez, that better than I eat, for sure. Can I stowaway?

You are awesome

They are awesome!!!!

She is one of a Kind

Beyond real.

She better be earning six figures with her hard work, attitude, and dedication! And you can make good money as a head cook/chef working on vessels like this.

depending on the ships company crews eat very well and the chefs are usually experts at home cooking comfort foods the crew loves.. it really depends on the ports they attend and what they can re supply fresh into their larders

man now I am hungry

Wow... nice big galley...!

@ 0:10. Ummm I very much doubt whether you would be ‘stepping aboard one of the Great Lakes 13,000 footers’. Not sure that ship is 2.4 miles long. I’m sure you meant 13,000 tonnes.

Fabulous woman. ✌

What a gem, wish she cooked for me.

I believe these ships are not "13,000 footers" '

I'm pretty sure that ship wasn't 13,000 feet long.

I shouldn't be watching this at 3AM.

Wow, a 13,000 foot freighter. (just 8 secs in) That's impressive. Almost 3 miles long. He obviously meant 1300 foot or he's really mathematically challenged.

They got donuts? I know where I hope my next job will be.

She is so a❤we some ❤and kin😂d

Have to have a good cook

Her strength is she knows how to take care of men.

At 2:02 Is she taking that corrugate to dump overboard?? She's leaving to the outside deck...

here on YT now i can track the gang when they put into Duluth Harbor and get video'd on Duluth Harbor Cam.

Hope she's making good money

Everyone else on board missing out of butter in a dish for one vegan is messed up.

Is this being on a ship, but not in the Militsary?

the guy said 13,000 foot. lol

running a kitchen is a lot of work

She can never leave because the entire crew would revolt and leave too!