The Biscayne Bay is a 140-foot Coast Guard icebreaking tug based in St. Ignace, Michigan. Her 2,500 horsepower engine pushes a hull reinforced with 5/8 inch thick steel, making her a very capable ice breaker. She has a bubbler system that shoots air around her hull, reducing friction and thus increasing her efficiency and ability to move through ice. She has been called upon numerous times to break ice in and around the Twin Ports harbors. Inset picture: she moves through the Duluth harbor on March 23rd, 2013. Below, she visited Duluth in December, 2007, bringing too much of Lake Superior attached to her hull!See video of that trip at the bottom of this page.
She was also here at the beginning of the 2007 season, in March, 2007 (below), to lend a hand in the ice breaking chores.
The Biscayne Bay was called in when a leak in the hydraulics of the Alder’s controllable pitch propeller system was discovered.
After a long trip to Duluth, 6 members of the crew are off to enjoy our town for a while.
The thousand footer Mesabi Miner was due to depart Duluth on March 18, and the Biscayne Bay went out under the bridge and out into the Lake to break open a track in the ice for the Mesabi Miner to follow.
The trip to the edge of the ice sheet went smoothly with only one exception. Just below, you can see the mark of cutters bow in the ice. It could get no further so Commander Godwin executed a back and ram, which is just what it sounds like and the Biscayne Bay was underway again.
Commander Godwin stepped out onto the deck to check on the ice conditions (below).
Above, the Miner reached open water; job accomplished; we returned to the Dock.
As a member of the Duluth Flotilla of the USCG Auxiliary I am proud to answer a very good question. The US Coast Guard Cutter “Biscayne Bay” is one of nine 140-foot “Bay Class” icebreaking tugboats. The nine cutters are numbered 101 through 109. As you see, the Cutter Biscayne Bay’s hull number is “104”. If you would like to see more information on the Biscayne Bay or other Coast Guard vessels or aircraft they have a very good website with lots of information. Some boats and stations have their own websites!
Good afternoon,
As a member of the Duluth Flotilla of the USCG Auxiliary I am proud to answer a very good question. The US Coast Guard Cutter “Biscayne Bay” is one of nine 140-foot “Bay Class” icebreaking tugboats. The nine cutters are numbered 101 through 109. As you see, the Cutter Biscayne Bay’s hull number is “104”. If you would like to see more information on the Biscayne Bay or other Coast Guard vessels or aircraft they have a very good website with lots of information. Some boats and stations have their own websites!
Semper Paratus!
What does the number “104” mean?