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| The
wind blew the ice back in front of the ship canal last night. Above,
the Mackinaw took a run through it this morning (Tuesday,
April 22) and seemed to have no trouble making it to the other side.
Later, she returned to the harbor, although the Morro Bay appears
to have departed Duluth, perhaps for good. |
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| The
wind blew the ice away from the Duluth ship canal. The Walter
J. McCarthy, Jr. was the first boat to use the Duluth entry
since she departed Duluth on Tuesday evening, April 1st. The McCarthy departed
late Monday afternoon, April 21st. Below, the Mackinaw and
the Morro Bay are still in town. One never knows what the
wind will blow our way. |
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| Two
ice-breakers, the Mackinaw and the Morro Bay, lots of ice and
a stiff east wind; just another day in Duluth this spring. Both are available
to assit vessel traffic in the harbor as needed, otherwise the strong
wind makes straight icebreaking mostly ineffective today. (11:30 am,
Saturday) |
 As
of 3 pm on Friday, April 18, the ice is back in front of the Duluth
ship canal, the Sundew is undergoing maintenence, the Morro
Bay has docked at the DECC after a long day breaking ice in the
Superior channel, specifically clearing a track for the commercial
traffic that was moving today, with the help of the Morro Bay.
And the Mackinaw is due sometime later today. Her best feature
is her width. She will likely use that against the ice in front of
the Duluth ship canal.
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| Wednesday,
April 16 at 9:30 am: the ice stuck at the end of the piers (just below)
has broken free. |
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| Wednesday,
April 16. The high east winds are back. Yesterday, those same
winds blew chunks of ice through the Duluth ship canal and into the
harbor. Below, that ice has filled the General Mills and Cargill slips.
Above, the ice appears to be stuck at the end of the piers, staying
in place despite heavy winds from behind. A mysterious opening appears
just beyond the North Pier Light. |
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The
Coast Guard cutter Morro Bay, here from New London, Connecticut,
became the first vessel to go under the Lift Bridge in a long time.
She came in around 8:00 pm Monday evening, April 14.
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The four
pictures just below were all taken on Monday, April 14th.
Editor's note:
I have not edited my comments or predictions below them, many of which have
turned out to be wrong. |
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The
ice parted, the waters came forth and Duluth was freed.
(note:
ship traffic has still not resumed at the Duluth entry, although
the Coast Guard cutter Morro Bay appeared
out of the dim mists of the Lake and appeared to be making good
progress opening up a track. April 14: 7:30 pm) |
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 Ice
Update: Sunday, April 13, 2003, 11:30 am: A renewed east wind
has stopped ice breaking in front of the Duluth piers. Any ice that
gets broken away simply blows back into the pack. The Sundew is
not out today. There is talk that the fireworks on July 4 will be aimed
out onto the lake and tipped with explosive charges. Rumors to that
effect could not yet be confirmed. |
 Ice
Update: Saturday, April 12, 2003, 11:30 am: The Morro
Bay departed New London, Connecticut on March 26. This morning
(Saturday, April 12), an hour before arriving Duluth, their orders
were changed to go to Thunder Bay and help break up an ice jam estimated
to be 1 mile wide by 1 mile long and about 2-3 feet thick. Having come
so far, they did take a couple stabs at our ice before moving into
dock at the DECC for a few hours. They will depart for Thunder Bay
this afternoon. They may be back again before this is all over.
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| Ice
Update: Friday, April 11, 2003: The Samuel Risley will
not be coming to Duluth. She will most likely be spelling the Mackinaw at
Whitefish Bay. The Morro Bay should be arriving Duluth Saturday
morning, and depending upon wind velocity and direction, both will
be breaking ice. There seems to be less of a chance that one of them
will be working their way out from the ship canal. On Thursday, the Sundew made
it 1/12 of a mile closer to the ship canal. At 2:30 pm on Friday, they
had progressed 1/10 of a mile already. They
expect to break their Thursday record today. No solid predictions when
they will be able to declare Duluth Open for Business, but probably
no earlier than Sunday. |
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| Ensign
Jason Frank took this picture Thursday afternoon aboard the Sundew.
They will be back at it early Friday morning. |
 The
140 foot Coast Guard ice breaking tug Morro Bay will be here
on Saturday to help the Sundew break the ice  jam
in front of the ship canal. She is coming from New London Connecticut.
The Morro Bay was built in 1981. See just below for information
about the Sundew's work on the ice Thursday. |
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Wednesday
evening, April 9, 2003. The Sundew is still breaking ice in
front of the Duluth ship canal while the rest of us enjoy spring. Below,
you can still see the ridge made by the Indiana Harbor during
her futile attempts to escape Duluth last week.
The crew
of the Sundew parked in the ice and spent Wednesday night
on the boat. They were back breaking ice at 6 am Thursday
morning. Some of the ice boulders they are breaking off are up
to 15 feet high. Like ice bergs, only 1/3 of it is above water.
Sometimes a boulder (the size of a small bus)
breaks away from a heavier sheet and it pops up quite quickly
and dramatically, reaching its own new position of 1/3 above
and 2/3rds below water level. The Sundew returned to
her dock around 6:30 pm. She will be out again, Friday morning.
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| The Samual
Risley invited some of the crew of the Sundew on board
for a tour. The Sundew reciprocated. Eighteen from the Sundew
went over to the Risley and 8 from the Risley came over to the Sundew.
(The Risley crew is 24, the Sundew is about double that.) Here they
are just moving away after trading people. An hour later, they came
together again and everyone went home. The Risley finally
departed Duluth shortly after. |
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The
Canadian Coast Guard ship Samuel Risley was in town to help
the Sundew break ice. More
pictures in slide show format.
Sunday,
April 6: i had video clips but too many people were downloading
it and my server quit. I will do something, but for now, I need
to take it off here. Sorry.
|
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Above,
at 10 am: the Indiana Harbor has backed into the Duluth harbor. And
is not moving much.
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9:45 am:
The Indiana Harbor has backed into the harbor and the Lift Bridge is
back down.
9:31 am:
the Captain just told the bridge he is backing into the harbor to
let the bridge come down.
The Indiana
Harbor is trying to depart Duluth but is running into heavy ice.
Below is about her 5th try.
The Ship
Canal after the Indiana Harbor retreated for the last time. She is
currently (11:45 am) positioned
as in the picture above, and not moving.
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Kenneth
Newhams: World Wide Web Design, Maintenance and Marketing
Contact Information
E-Mail Address: knewhams@duluthshippingnews.com
525 Lake
Avenue South
Duluth, MN 55802 USA
Telephone: (218) 722-3119
|
© 2003
by Kenneth R. Newhams |
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