While I was taking pictures from the blue line in the new hockey arena they are building at the DECC in the afternoon of September 4th, I took a picture of the Aerial Lift Bridge (upper left) while the James R. Barker was coming in. The arena will soon be covered so the picture may remain the only picture of the Lift Bridge ever taken from the blue line. I should have been at the ship canal. I am after all, the Duluth Shipping News and not hockey news.
I had a team working the ship canal for me from two very unusual spots. The inner South Pier light was recently purchased by Steve Sola, giving him one of the best angles for boat watching we have here. That’s him on the left, standing on his light taking video with his phone. Dale Sola, Steve’s Dad, was taking pictures of his son taking pictures of his Dad from the pilot house of the Barker as he and his wife Betty were coming back from a trip to Marquette with coal. Take your pick of which of those two spots you would like to be standing to take a picture.
But there’s more; check out the video below, taken from Steve’s phone, of the Barker coming in. Make sure you watch all of it for a unique look at Steve’s lighthouse.
After making the turn up the Duluth harbor, Dale was still taking pictures. Below, from left to right you see; the outer South pier light, the near South Pier light, the Lift Bridge, the South Pier Inn (not surprisingly owned by the Sola’s), and above the Inn, the salt water vessel Federal Hudson, at anchor off the Duluth piers, next to a so far unidentified vessel.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes Dale, the two south lights allow the ship captain to line up the south side of the ship canal, which then locates the North pier light and the opening to the Ship Canal.
Cool
I really love reading articles that has lots of knowledge to impart. I admire those writers who share the best of their knowledge in writing such articles. Keep up the good work and continue inspiring readers.Thank you so much.
Great video from a phone camera. By any chance did Steve venture up on his light house & take video of that recent blow you had up there? That would of been pretty neat to see a video of those waves from that view……
Ken:
What a neat video of the Barker coming in. My wife and I were up there visiting relatives the third week in September. We sailed with a friend from Barkers Island out the Superior entry all the way across to the duluth entry, under the Lift bridge and then back up to Barker's Island. It was a thrill, especially to go under the lift Bridge.The weather was beautiful that week. I visit your site daily, love Great Lakes shipping.Keep up the good work.
Hi Ken! Great job again, and the video is really good. Question – do the boats blow their whistles at night? Do folks who live around the bridge ever fuss about it or do they consider it to be part of the price they pay for living in such a neat place? The James R. Barker sounded pretty loud so I'm curious about this. Thanks for letting me see the boats even though I'm sitting down here in Alabama! Jill
Interesting perspective from that lighthouse.
A "landlubber" question:
What is the significance of the two lighthouses on the same stretch of concrete, one at the tip and the other back by the bridge? Is that to help the ship line up the canal under poor or night time conditions?
Also, is there any reading material (manual or book) that is available to the public that gives or explains the shipping rules for Great Lake ports/canals, that is available to the public?
Keep up the great work. I visit the site muliiple times a day.