March 2009

Alder out breaking ice

March 30, 2009

I had a chance to take a ride of the Alder this morning, but I had to tell them I was too busy taking pictures of them. Here, she is coming right at me with the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. on her right and the Edwin H. Gott on her left. The McCarthy is due to depart with coal on Tuesday; the Gott may leave with iron ore pellets on Thursday.

The Alpena hugs the North Shore on her way to Duluth

March 29, 2009 · 0 comments


March 29th, 2009 • US Boats • Edit
MODIS data acquired by direct broadcast and processed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

The season may actually begin on Monday. The Alpena became a new entry in the ‘race’ for first. She was expected around 8:30 Monday morning but may be delayed since she is taking a longer route along the North Shore. A look at the satellite image here shows why. The open water closer the shore beats the ice in the center of the Lake.

The Lee A. Tregurtha may get away from her moorings at Fraser Shipyards and go up to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets in the middle of the day. The James R. Barker, once thought to be the first boat to move in the harbor, has slipped to third place (not that anyone but me cares), leaving sometime in the afternoon, probably later.
Indiana Harbor at left; Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. right, layup at Port Terminal. March 29, 2009

Indiana Harbor at left; Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. right, layup at Port Terminal. March 29, 2009

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The tug Edward H is getting ready to work

March 27, 2009 · 0 comments


The tug Edward H spent the winter behind the DECC. Mike Ojard and his son Patrick were down there installing some new pumps for their engines today. That’s Patrick waving to the camera. Mike’s other son, Vince, is the third member of the family partnership. They are open for business and waiting for the season to start like everybody else. They may go to Two Harbors shortly to break up the ice. That will take them by their home port of Knife River.

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Back to normal, almost maybe

March 25, 2009 · 8 comments

I have been trying to combine the web page at DuluthShippingNews.com and the blog at DuluthBoats.com for several days now. Each day, I make some progress. I hope you will be patient with me; I think the blog is very usable now; the web page may take a day or more. The blog will now be located at dululthshippingnews.com and duluthboats.com will  have the schedule of arrivals and departures

Thanks,

Ken

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No boats, little sun, not much snow and the only ice

March 22, 2009

On Sunday, March 22, 2009, the wind was blowing at 32 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. No boats, little sun, not much snow and the only ice to be seen was along the shore fronting the lineup of hotels in Canal Park, that the result of the stiff wind from the east. The [...]

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Coast Guard vessels Alder and Mackinaw out breaking ice

March 17, 2009

The Alder went out for a quick trip through the harbor and out into the Lake on Monday, March 16th. With no traffic set until the 29th, there was not a lot that could be done. Tuesday afternoon, she left for Thunder Bay. They will see traffic before we will. In the picture, we were [...]

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Going out on the Alder to check on ice conditions in the Duluth harbor.

March 15, 2009

I will be going out on the Alder on Monday morning (March 16th). They will be checking the ice thickness in the shipping channels in the harbor; I will try to get some good pictures and video. Keeping the shipping lanes open in the harbor is the direct responsibility of the Alder. Local tugs handle [...]

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First trip into the ice for the Alder

March 10, 2009

The Alder left her dock at 8:30 on Tuesday morning (see picture). That was the first ship movement of the new season. An expected blizzard later today will bring the Alder back to the dock this afternoon rather than making a one-day training run to Lake Superior, as originally planned. The Alder just leaving her [...]

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New shipping season problems in Duluth, Great Lakes

March 10, 2009

The Alder left her dock at 8:30 on Tuesday morning (see picture). That was the  first ship movement of the new season. An expected blizzard later today will bring the Alder back to the dock this afternoon rather than making a one-day training run to Lake Superior, as originally planned. The beginning of the shipping [...]

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Season to begin with the Alder on March 10th and the James R. Barker on the 18th.

March 6, 2009

The Alder announced their initial plans for the new season. See just below, dated March 5, 2009 The U.S. Coast Guard will be commencing icebreaking operations in and around Duluth/Superior Harbor on 10 March 2009. Areas of operation include Superior Entry, Superior Front Channel in vicinity of Barker’s Island, St. Louis Bay between Richard Bong [...]

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