Our latest video is "Offshore Outposts", and Ric has been touring the Great Lakes in support of the new dvd. Hailed by lighthouse enthusiasts, the project showcases several lights that are inaccessable to the public. From Huron Island in Lake Superior comes the story of a young man who grew up as a lighthouse keeper's son. Dick Campbell returns to his childhood island to discover what is left from the complex. It becomes a rare look at how the keeper's lived so remotely, and is a sad reminder that not every lighthouse will be saved. Obsolete due to satellite navigation, the lighthouses are falling into disrepair. "Offshore Outposts" also tells the story of the difficulties of building Stannard Rock Lighthouse. For decades historians have argued over the reason for a mysterious explosion that killed a Coast Guardsman. Researcher Ric Mixter tracked down a survivor and found the truth of the accident, which left three men stranded fifty miles out in Lake Superior. It was dubbed "the lonelest lighthouse in the world" for good reason. Ric also looks into Spectacle Reef, a remote lighthouse on Lake Huron that served as a temporary refuge for a missing pilot. The airman left a note on the kitchen table and was never seen again.
Finally, "Offshore Outposts" shows shining examples of lighthouse renovation, featuring the million-dollar makeover of the DeTour Reef Light and the activity of Ann Arbor's Boy Scouts at St. Helena Island in Lake Michigan. You can order the DVD by clicking on products on the top line.
Ric is a vetted touring historian for the Michigan Arts and Humanities Council. Grants are available for schools and non-profits to be able to experience Ric's lectures firsthand. For more information on the state grants, please click here. There are dozens of lecture topics- just click on RIC MIXTER on the left side of your screen and follow the links. You can also check out www.ricmixter.com for details.
Cement Boat is available for sale! This 60 minute video shares a routine trip aboard the steamer Alpena. The program highlights how they make cement and load it into the freighter. You'll meet key sailors on board and learn how they got their jobs. You'll also see incredible footage at the Soo Locks, Duluth Lift-Bridge and archive movies of a cement boat in a storm. Features footage of the Alpena, Townshend, EM Ford, Crapo and JB Ford.
Bombs Away: Good Bye Guardians of the Great Lakes. This 60 minute video is a departure from my maritime topics, but it's a facinating look at four Michigan air bases; Selfridge, Sawyer, Kincheloe and Wurtsmith. 90 years are chronicled, from biplanes to B-52 Bombers. The Tuskegee Airmen even trained at two of our fields, located at Mount Clemens and Oscoda. This DVD has a lot of extra features, including my ride with the Thunderbirds in an F-16. I was honored to fly with the last B-52 bombers from Sawyer and Wurtsmith, and BOMBS AWAY shares much of that footage.
Deep Six: Titanics of the Great Lakeswas recently updated as promised. I just couldn't have a DVD without the extras you've come to expect from a 'Lake Fury' production! I've added never-before-seen footage of the Bradley in drydock, some photos from the first divers on the Morrell, and a behind the scenes photo montage of how we made this incredible documentary!
The Edmund Fitzgerald Investigations was also retooled, adding over a half hour of new content, mostly highlighting the unique construction of this famous freighter. Included are interviews with shipyard workers, former crew and a Coast Guard investigator who was on the CURV III investigation. All new for 2008, the 50th Anniversary of the launch of the Fitz! --Media Access Click Here.
If you are a retailer looking for order information on our DVD documentaries.. click here!
Keep in touch.. you'll find a link by clicking on RIC MIXTER. Hope to see you at the dive shows!
Deep Six: Titanics of the Great Lakes 
