Nice for the boats; winter arrived here within minutes of the Heritage Marine tug Nels J making sure the last boat to come in, the Edwin H. Gott, was secure against the dock at the Port Terminal on Wednesday morning, January 18, 2012. The temperature plunged, down to -31 at my home, and a big snow storm, the largest we have had yet, at least ¾ of an inch, maybe even 1/8 more. The Alder was close by but was not needed, so she went back to her dock, probably not moving from there until March 7th or so.
The Great Lakes Trader made her first trip to the Twin Ports in September, 2000 and has been to the Twin Ports 127 times since. Today (November 29, 2011) is her 12th visit this season. On this trip, she brought in limestone to discharge before leaving to load iron ore pellets in Silver Bay.
Often when in the Twin Ports, after the vessel is tied up at a dock, the tug will disengage from the barge and go over to the Murphy Fuel Dock to load fuel, a distinct advantage over the other one piece boats than can only do one thing at a time.
The Medemborg arrived Duluth on Friday afternoon, October 14, 2011. This is her 10th visit to the Twin Ports since she was built in 1997, her first visit this season. She was here twice last year. She will be loading bentonite on this trip; in past trips, she has loaded beet pulp pellets and other grains. She was assisted by the Heritage Marine tug Nels J. seen below on her way to the Medemborg just after the ship came under the Lift Bridge; at left, she has moved closer. I caught the Medemborg’s whistle as she came in. 
