Getting a Lift: A U.S. Coast Guard flight crew out of Traverse City, Mich., successfully MEDEVAC'd an ailing crew member from the 680-foot, Canadian-flagged laker Michipicoten on Thursday from northern Lake Huron. "The aircrew basket-hoisted the crew member and transported him to hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. "Great work by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nick Becker, the flight mechanic; Petty Officer 2nd Class Eli Bell, the rescue swimmer; and pilots Lt. Cmdr. Matt Keiper and Lt. David Carrier. Thanks to Lt. Cmdr. Keiper for the photos!" Air Station Traverse City posted. As luck would have it, it was only four days earlier, on Monday, that the crew was practicing its live litter training with the help of the station's senior chief as "survivor" (in the litter in this photo). The helicopters at Air Station Traverse City are often called to duty on Lake Superior. The station was established in 1945 as part of the Coast Guard's Ninth District. Its operations cover all of Lake Michigan and a greater part of Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
Tall Masts in Two Harbors?: The organizers of Festival of Sail Lake Superior posted on Facebook Monday that the festival will go on next year. "Tall Ships will be returning in 2022 and we will announce ALL of the details here on Nov. 22nd. We appreciate how excited everyone is about the event. 2022's event has taken some additional steps in planning, due primarily to COVID 19 and the additional measures our partners are taking to put the event together. We also appreciate your patience. Thank you!" Last week, at the Two Harbors City Council meeting, city Mayor Chris Swanson noted several tourism promotions in the works, including the likely arrival of tall-masted ships there. “We have the tall ships issue in motion right now, we are bringing the tall ships to Two Harbors and planning next summer to have that event here.” That's what we know to tell you for now. Watch the horizon (and here) for more. Oh … and expect another tall ships cover coming in 2022!
Opening the Border: On Tuesday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that on November 8 all Canadian and Mexican citizens with proof of COVID vaccinations may enter the United States at ferry and land border crossings. "The modifications to the Title 19 regulations will occur in two phases over the next few months," according to the announcement. In November, U.S. border officers will allow fully vaccinated travelers from Mexico or Canada to enter the United States at land and ferry ports of entry (POEs) for non-essential reasons. Travelers must have appropriate paperwork to prove vaccination in order to enter. In early January 2022, all inbound foreign national travelers – whether entering for essential or non-essential reasons – must provide proof of vaccination. "This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated," the announcement noted.
To the Rescue: Eagles, in case you didn't know, prefer pike when it comes to fish. With four raptors in rescue, Thunderbird Raptor Rescue owner Jenn Salo says she needs fresh fish (and she mentions that pike preference), goose or moose or any lead-free big game scraps, plus any small game and blankets, sheets and soaker pads. Monetary donations certainly would help, too. Jenn posted Tuesday that she had to close her doors from taking in any more rescues because this year's raptor migration has taken a toll on her supplies and time. "Well, here we are again, with two more eagles in care," she posted on the rescue's Facebook page that day. "These ones came in about the same time I was getting the other two ready for release. The one eagle is from Poplar Hill First Nations Reserve and the young one is from Armstrong First Nations Reserve. Both eagles have broken wings. … Both these eagles need X-rays to see if these are breaks that will heal with the likelihood of full recovery, or not. As broken wings have a long recovery time and decisions need to be based on chances of survivability once healed. There is also the matter of the peregrine with broken metacarpals that has been in care for over two months now. This bird and a young broadwing will have to be sent south to overwinter for long-term healing. Or places within an educational setting if they are deemed non releasable." Contact Jenn at thunderbirdwildlife@gmail.com if you can help. And remember, too, the other volunteer wildlife rescue groups around the Big Lake, such as U.P. Wildlife Rehabilitation in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula or Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation in Duluth. Wildwoods recently had a successful fundraiser, about which it posted along with this photo of its rescued baby turtle either absconding with a quarter or maybe donating it.
Serving in Deep Water: A native of Hermantown, Minn., is serving aboard the USS Florida, based in Kings Bay, Ga., and one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines, according to a story for the U.S. Navy by Megan Brown. Petty Officer 2nd Class Kasey Bergerson joined the Navy eight and a half years ago. “My mom had been in the Navy my whole life and I wanted to travel,” Kasey told Megan. “That’s why I decided to follow in her footsteps.” Living aboard a submarine is a lot like living in a small town, according to Kasey. “I came from a small town where you knew everyone. You knew them from kindergarten through high school. On the submarine, you are with the same people you check in with and see them grow throughout their careers. It is a tight-knit group of people.” The Navy’s submarine force, known as America’s “Silent Service,” operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels, Megan reports. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world, in furtherance of U.S. national security. That service drew Kasey. “Serving in the Navy means pride," she says. “I like being able to say I am defending the country.”
Nickel Bags: Don't know what you're thinking when you hear "nickel bags," but we're thinking about the new ordinance in Duluth, effective as of today, that requires retailers to charge a 5-cent fee for each plastic bag provided "in an effort to reduce litter and the harmful environmental impact caused by single-use carryout bags." There are exceptions to the rule: "bags without handles used exclusively to carry produce, meats, other food items, or merchandise to the point of sale within a store; bags provided by pharmacists to contain prescription drugs; bags used to transport take-out foods and prepared liquids intended for consumption away from the retail establishment; newspaper bags, door-hanger bags, dry-cleaning bags, bags used to protect fine art paper; bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for use as garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags; or bags made out of paper." Retail businesses not complying may be fined $100 for the first offense up to $300 each for three or more offenses. So Duluth definitely has become a BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag town. Bag It Duluth lauded the move as a "baby step" in the right direction. It bills itself as "a group of citizens, community leaders, businesses, and organizations who seek to address the impacts of single use carryout bags and styrofoam!" Keeping and reusing those old bags certainly will be good, we hope, for the Big Lake. Like the other Great Lakes, it is threatened by microplastics from the breakdown of plastic as well as the bags themselves which may cause problems for wildlife.
Channeling Kathy: We just uploaded onto our Lake Superior Magazine YouTube Channel a lovely video introducing Kathy Groth, author of our newest book, SUNKEN Shipwrecks of Lake Superior. Kathy, on her own boat near Hayward, Wis., chats with Bick Smith of CyBick Productions, who did the video, and reads a bit from the book intended for young readers (ages 8+) and young-at-heart boatnerds of all ages. Thanks, Kathy and Bick!
Fresh & Fast: 100 films. 30 hours of film content. 27 film blocks. 7 outdoor tours. 5 film venues. 4 days of adventure, inspiration, and stoke … plus this inspirational 40-second teaser video. Don't forget if you're in Marquette to check out the Fresh Coast Film Festival. Tickets, complete film lineup and schedule all available online.
Photo & graphic credits: USCG Lt. Cmdr. Matt Keiper; USCG Air Station Traverse City; USS Florida by Journalist 3rd Class B.L. Keller; portrait of Kasey Bergerson by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda Rae Moreno; Thunderbird Raptor Rescue; Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation Center; CyBick Productions; Fresh Coast Film Festival