Life aboard a Great Lakes freighter

They slip along, relentlessly, under giant moons and the blackest star-speckled skies. They ram through swells and driving storms that can capsize lesser ships. They sound horns that linger over downtown Detroit and Lake St. Clair during morning fog.

This is the Great Lakes freighter, in all its beauty and majesty. We hear them, we see them, but what do we know about these workhorses and their crews?

FOLLOW LIVE: Freep is aboard a Great Lakes freighter!

This week, the Free Press invites you onboard the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest ship on the Great Lakes. You'll ride along with staff writer Jim Schaefer and staff photographer Eric Seals as they meet and learn about the crew, the captain, the jobs they do, the sights they see and even the food they eat aboard the 1,013-foot ship, which is longer than the Renaissance Center's cylindrical tower is tall. Schaefer and Seals answer a few questions about their trip here:

QUESTION: How are readers invited along?

ANSWER: Well, virtually, of course. We plan to post stories and videos every day, plus updates on social media. Follow Jim Schaefer on Twitter at @DetroitReporter and on Facebook at facebook.com/jimschaef. Eric Seals will be posting @ericseals on Twitter and Instagram.

Be sure to send any questions you have for us or the freighter's crew.

We'll also be posting updates on freep.com, at @freep on Twitter and on the Detroit Free Press Facebook page.

You'll also find our best stuff daily in our print edition.

When are you leaving?

If all goes as planned, we will board the ship late tonight in St. Clair, in the Thumb.

What's the route?

We will head south Monday morning, passing downtown Detroit, we hope, sometime in the afternoon. Then it's on to our first destination in Monroe, where we will unload cargo. We turn around and head past Detroit again in the middle of the night, then north through Lake Huron, the Soo Locks, and into Lake Superior. Our ultimate destination is Duluth, Minn., where we will pick up more cargo. Then we make the return home.

What are you hauling?

This time, coal. Freighters like the Tregurtha provide many of the materials necessary to heat our homes, construct our buildings, maintain our roads and feed our families.

Can I see you from my downtown office window or Hart Plaza while I'm waiting for the fireworks show Monday night?

Hey, maybe! Watch our posts on social media and freep.com. We'll give you a heads-up when we're cruising past the city. If you see the Tregurtha — and, really, you can't miss it — we'll be the two geeks waving.

How long is the trip?

Freighter schedules are beset by unknowns: weather, maritime traffic and other unexpected challenges. But we expect the round-trip to take six days.

How often will we hear from you?

As often as we can, given proper connectivity to the Internet. Look for our first posts Monday morning!