Sadie Ann: Lake Superior Education and Research Vessel

A group of people stands on the deck of the Sadie Ann research vessel in Lake Superior, docked beside another boat in a calm harbor..

Explore Lake Superior Aboard Sadie Ann

Learn, research and experience Lake Superior and its watershed.

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Live Voyage Status

UW-Superior’s new education and research vessel is traveling from the Midship Marine boatyard in Harvey, Louisiana to her new home at Montreal Pier in Superior, Wisconsin.

Real-time position updates are available anytime on the Marine Tracker website.

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Captain’s Log – From the Bridge

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Ocean view of Sadie Ann leaving Fort Pierce.

10/16/26 • 28.3° N, 80.4° W

The Sadie Ann Takes the Scenic Route North

The Sadie Ann is back underway! After departing Fort Pierce this past Saturday, the crew set their sights north, traveling along Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)—a route that offers a different perspective on the coastline and a little adventure along the way.

But as any mariner knows, the weather gets a vote, too! Strong winds made it prudent to pause the journey, and the Sadie Ann has temporarily laid up near Titusville, Florida, while conditions improve.

Safety comes first, and sometimes the best progress is knowing when to wait for a better weather window. The journey north continues, one safe mile at a time, as the Sadie Ann works her way toward the Great Lakes and, eventually, home on Lake Superior.

— Captain, Sadie Ann

Introducing Sadie Ann

Sadie Ann is a custom-built, hybrid-drive education and research vessel designed to expand access to Lake Superior and its vast watershed – one of North America’s most ecologically diverse and culturally significant freshwater systems.

Operated by the Lake Superior Research Institute at UW–Superior, Sadie Ann is available to educators, researchers, organizations and businesses across the region and beyond.

Faculty from a range of disciplines at UW–Superior are incorporating Sadie Ann into their courses, giving students the opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences directly on Lake Superior.

A blue and white education and research vessel named Sadie Ann is docked beside a blue warehouse, reflecting in the calm water under a cloudy sky—about to embark on its next voyage.

Close-up view of gently rippling water near a Lake Superior research vessel for scientists, reflecting blue and golden tones from the sunlight and creating a smooth, abstract pattern across the surface.

A close-up view of a boat’s upper deck and cabin with blue and white colors, metal railings, and partly cloudy skies above tells about the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, as seen on the vessel’s side.

Experience Sadie Ann

One vessel. Endless opportunities – for learning, discovery and collaboration.

A Coast Guard certified passenger vessel fitted with the tools of a research vessel, Sadie Ann is an ideal platform for experiences on Lake Superior. From on-the-water field trips and compelling studies of freshwater ecosystems to maritime trainings and constituency building cruises, Sadie Ann delivers safe, accessible experiences on one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in the world.

Learn More about Sadie Ann