Breaking Ice: The Canadian Coast Guard posted a video recently talking about the ice-breaking fleet, which includes both the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards. "Did you know that with our U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes partners, there are a combined 11 icebreakers on the Great Lakes?" the Canadian Coast Guard posted. "Ice conditions can vary across regions, so having different vessels with different capabilities (for example, some can operate in shallower water) is crucial to keeping these waters safe and open during the winter." The Samuel Risley, seen in this photo by Richard Ferguson, has been to Lake Superior several times. The Lake Carriers' Association has raised concern about the number of icebreakers available when a "bomb cyclone" made some channels unpassable. (This photo shows the conditions near Lorain, Oh., at the time.) "Between December 25 and December 30, 2022, ships were halted in western Lake Erie and the Detroit River. Ports in Ohio and Michigan were nearly impassable. Almost 327,000 tons of American cargo and carrying capacity, the equivalent of 13,000 truckloads, were delayed 90 total hours, which extended vessel voyages by an average of 10.3 hours," the association said in a press release. "As a region and a nation, we need to be more resilient to extreme weather events. The U.S. Coast Guard needs an additional heavy icebreaker
here on the Great Lakes," LCA President Jim Weakley said in the release. "Five icebreaking requests were denied simply because they lacked enough nautical snowplows to do the job." Jim noted that the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, signed in December, "includes critical language to authorize the $350 million the USCG needs to design and acquire a new icebreaker at least as capable as the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw. … Unfortunately, the Coast Guard claims it will take 11 years to acquire the new icebreaker.” The current Great Lakes icebreakers may be on duty in less than a month. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation announced that the Montreal to Lake Ontario section and Welland Canal of the Seaway will open on March 22, a little earlier than last year's March 24 opening. The Soo Locks (specifically the Poe Lock) are still scheduled for opening March 25.
Sadly there may be less ice to break. Ice cover on the Great Lakes was at an all-time low for February after a brief jump to 21% coverage early in the month, according to NOAA. "Ice coverage has reached a record low in the Great Lakes for this time of year," NOAA reported. "As of February 13, 2023, only
7% of these five freshwater lakes was covered in ice, which is significantly below the 35 to 40% ice cover that is expected for this time of year." This satellite image of the Great Lakes from Feb. 12 shows all of the open water. "The change is concerning, according to NOAA. "Although there is year-to-year variability in the ice cover of the lakes, NOAA research has found that in recent years ice cover is in a downward trend. An analysis led by Jia Wang, an ice climatologist at NOAA's GLERL, found significant declines in average ice cover of the Great Lakes between 1973 and 2017. During the winter period of those 44 years, which runs from December 1 to April 30, average ice cover on the Great Lakes declined about 70%," NOAA reported. "Air temperatures are the main factor affecting ice cover on the Great Lakes, and a warmer than average January contributed to the lack of ice."
Meanwhile, this is National Engineers Week (we knew you knew that) and Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, 55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hosts a video celebrating the Corps and its work.
David Berg, Lakeville, Minn.
Grand Prize
Spring Joy! Knife River, Minn.
Winning Photos: We've posted the full complement of prize winners, honorable mentions and finalists for the 28th annual Lake Superior Photo Contest. The First and Second Prize winners along with Grand Prize winner "Spring Joy at Knife River" by David Berg (seen here) is in the current February/March issue of Lake Superior Magazine as are the honorable mentions. The finalists are online. Congratulations to all those honored and those who entered … and thanks for making the choices hard on our judges. If you want to enter the 29th annual Lake Superior Photo Contest, you can sign up via this link.
More Mushing: The sled dog racing season is in full bloom and there are some great opportunities to share the excitement of the teams. This weekend the WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race launches in Ely, Minn., on Sunday (Feb. 26). It's the 15th running of the race with a purse this year of $15,000 and thanks to the sponsors, every team crossing the finish line gets at least $50. Spectators are advised that there is limited parking at the Ely Softball Complex located off of 17th Avenue/Highway 1 and Old Airport Road. "Look for the Forest Concrete signs," say organizers. "Once the spectator parking is full, street parking is available on White and Harvey Streets. Limited parking is available at the Ely Chamber of Commerce lot, too. Please do not park on 17th Avenue/Highway 1. Please leave all pets at home." This photo by Les Conrad shows the teams on the trail in earlier races. Coming up next weekend (Mar. 3-5), the CopperDog series of races get underway on Main Street in Calumet, Mich., (as seen in this photo by L.J. Molloy). The three main races - CopperDog 150, CopperDog 80 and CopperDog 30 - launch after the opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Friday, Mar. 3, when the teams take off starting at 7 p.m. A full schedule of related events, including a street party, is online.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Friday, Feb. 24: DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University in Marquette will host a free "Phone Photography Workshop" with photographer Prof. Daric Christian. Daric will teach how your phone camera can capture a large amount of data, and with a few steps, you can manipulate the data to your liking, not just the standard settings used by the default software. This workshop will look at several tools that can non-destructively adjust that data, providing flexibility. He will also discuss suggestions for making prints. For the last eight years, Daric has been the associate dean and director of the School of Art and Design at NMU. The free event, open to the public, is part of the Faculty Biennial programs.
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 24-25: This weekend starting Friday evening, Michigan Tech Theatre will host its first UP-Cycled Fashion Show. The event will feature designs by more than 30 Keweenaw Peninsula community members – adult, youth and Michigan Tech students. The theme is Indigo Mood and the designers will turn denim and other recycled items into fashion that builds awareness of environmental issues. There will be a gallery display of accessory items, a full-length fashion show and more activities.
Saturday, Feb. 25: The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra will perform Beethoven Symphony No. 7 at a concert that includes the world premiere of Marquette composer's Griffin Candey's viola concerto, a guest conductor from the University of Hawai'i and soloists Lara Neves and Debbie Carlson. The concert is 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center of Michigan Technological University.
Minnesota
This weekend & next, Feb. 23-26, Mar. 2-5: Duluth Playhouse Underground will perform "A Doll's House, Part 2," a take off on the somber Ibsen's masterwork, at Zeitgeist Teatro Zuccone, starting tonight. Director Kendra Carlson says the comedic cast creates "the balance between humor and heart this play requires."
Saturday, Feb. 25: The Grand Marais Ole Opry VI at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais features the award-winning High 48’s with Becky Schlegel. North Shore old-time string band Up Jumped Trouble will get the crowd hopping while talented young fiddler Martine Redshaw will shine alongside her father, John. This locally loved showcase always offers a lively and heart-warming mix of classic country, old-time, and bluegrass music. Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25: The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra performs two tribute concerts to John Williams, who scored the music to such blockbusters as Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Harry Potter and others. The casual concert is 2 p.m. and the main performance is at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25: The 14th annual Duluth Women’s Expo in the DECC. More than 100 exhibitors.
Sunday, Feb. 26: Arrowhead Fly Fishers and Gitche Gumee Trout Unlimited are teaming up to bring the International Fly Fishing Film Festival to Clyde Iron Works in Duluth. Doors open at 3 p.m., films start at 4 p.m. Funds raised support local conservation efforts.
Monday-March 12: The ninth annual fundraiser to support the International Wolf Center’s Wolf Care in Ely starts Monday. The online auction features artisan-made wolf-themed art, collectibles, photography and wolf-shed knitted items. All proceeds support the exceptional care of our ambassador wolves provided daily by wolf care staff.
Wisconsin
Saturday, Feb. 25: The Black Student Union and Department of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-Superior will offer its popular Soul Food dinner and program at 5:30 p.m. Music, food and fun will highlight this celebration, which brings the campus and community together. The dinner in the Yellowjacket Union atrium features traditional African American and African dishes and UWS students will provide performances and presentations about their cultures. The dinner is free, but registration is required today (Feb. 23). Tickets are not required for Titambe West African Dance Ensemble performance.
Wednesday, Mar. 1: The University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Indigenous Cultures Resource Center holds its 11th annual Wisconsin Indigenous & Multicultural Read-In, featuring author Anton Treuer at 7 p.m. in Erlenbach Lecture Hall in Swenson Hall. Free and open to the community, Anton, a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians but Were Afraid to Ask, will share traditional Ojibwe winter legends. His equity, education and cultural work has put him on a path of service around the nation and the world.
On the Radar: Bayfield Winter Festival, Mar. 3-5.
Ontario
Thru Sunday, Feb. 26: The Shadows of the Mind Film Festival is on the screen now through Sunday at the Grand Theatre in Sault Ste. Marie. Now in its 22nd year, the weeklong event is organized by volunteers who believe in the unique power of film to enlighten and to entertain. The full list of films, show times and trailers can be found online. On Saturday at the 9 a.m. showing of "Love in the Time of Fentanyl," there will be an opportunity to hear from local voices in the battle against fentanyl addiction. Admission is free but donations are accepted at the door. “Following that, we’ll be hosting a discussion panel, talking about the movie, the current context and where to go from here,” Dr. John Tuinema, Algoma Public Health acting medical officer of health, is quoted in a SooToday story by Darren Taylor.
Sunday, Feb. 26: Hiawatha Highlands near Sault Ste. Marie hosts a Ski the Trails fundraiser for the Sault Area Hosptial Foundation. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Participants will raise money by skiing one - or all - of the trails at Hiawatha.
Monday-Thursday, Feb. 27-Mar. 2: Lakehead University's 18th annual Research & Innovation Week will be celebrated next week focused on this year's theme, "Improving our Lives through Research." There will be talks and activities throughout the week. The keynote speaker is Julie Angus, CEO and co-founder of Open Ocean Robotics and a leading adventurer, bestselling author, scientist, and entrepreneur. Some events do not require registration.
Photo & graphic credits: Canadian Coast Guard; Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation; Lake Carriers Association; David Berg/Lake Superior Magazine; Les Conrad/WolfTrack Classic; L.J. Molloy/CopperDog 150; Daric Christian/International Fly Fishing Film Fest/Anton Treuer/Shadows of the Mind Film Festival