A Great Lakes tugboat leaving the Fox River and entering into Green Bay. Photo: yooperann (flickr)

Move over crabbers, Great Lakes tugboat captains have taken over primetime in Great Lake Warriors, a new series on the History Channel.

For those of us who know the Great Lakes as a place for sun, sand and beach, Great Lakes Warriors shows us the lakes once summer’s over.  It’s a whole different world out there.

The show follows five captains braving winter storms on the Great Lakes to break up ice and tow barges into port.  Their tugs battle wind gusts, choppy waters and weather that can change in an instant.

The Great Lakes are a dangerous place to be a sailor. While their crashing waves may not seem as impressive as those barreling down on Alaskan crab boats in The Most Dangerous Catch, sobering underwater shots of perfectly preserved shipwrecks and one of a lone work boot sitting at the lake bottom show how perilous it can be out there.

The History Channel will rebroadcast the first episode, “The Lethal Season,” at 11:00 p.m. Tuesday. The second episode airs at 10:00 p.m. Thursday.

Great Lakes Seaway and Shipping online has a photo gallery of hundreds of tugs listed in alphabetical order by boat name. Here are links to photos of some of the tugboats featured on  Great Lake Warriors.

• The John M. Selvick, captained by John Selvick
• The Mary E. Hannah and The Jimmy L., captained by Nathan Schley
• The Point Valour, captained by Stan Dawson
• The Nels J., captained by Mike Ojard