Look Who Found the Way Home: William A. Irvin took quite a long journey before returning home Wednesday evening to Duluth's Minnesota Slip. The popular museum ship went into the shop (aka Fraser Shipyards in Superior) last October to remove it while the Minnesota Slip was repaired and contaminated sediment capped. The nearly 611-foot freighter, launched November 21, 1937, also was scheduled for some work on the hull and other repairs. The freighter was to return this spring, but processing was delayed as the shipyard and the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, which manages the freighter, determined what work could be done using a $504,000 grant via the Minnesota Legacy Act and administered through the Minnesota Historical Society. The city of Duluth mainly covered the nearly $1.2 million cost to move the boat to and from Superior. As negotiations went on last winter, other vessels took priority on the shipyards' schedule. Finally, the Irvin went into dry dock earlier this fall, but it was discovered that it had pitting in the hull consistent with the corrosion experienced by other steel structures within the harbor and attributed in part to micro-organism. On Wednesday evening, KBJR6 captured the slow move from Superior to Duluth on video and chatted with a few boatnerds on the scene. Although the Irvin is back home, it will be months before the clean up of the repair aftermath inside is completed. The outside spiffing up will continue through the winter. On the honey-do list between now and when the ship opens for its tour season next spring – a complete hull paint job above the water line (we're told that unlike house paint, the hull paint can be applied in lower temperatures) and painting and work on the stack. In its working heyday, the Irvin set a record by unloading 13,856 tons of iron ore in two hours and 55 minutes using Hulett Automatic Ore Unloaders, an invention of George H. Hulett of Ohio in the late 1800s and little used today because of the introduction of self-unloading on ore carriers. Paul Scinocca did a nice video of the move.
On a little side note for boatnerds, an update on the Norgoma, another museum ship that was a longtime feature on the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, waterfront. The city had the ship removed this year after it became considered an "eyesore." The former package freighter and passenger ferry is currently for sale by the city; the closing of the sale was to be Oct. 4 (but likely is extended). A non-profit group, the St. Mary’s River Marine Heritage Centre, struggled to maintain the vessel and fought hard to keep it on site. The removal caused controversy among residents and the heritage centre finally agreed to turn ownership over to the city to avoid additional costs, such as docking fees. Under the agreement, artifacts and displays on the ship will remain with the centre group for exhibit in Sault Ste. Marie and in other communities visited by the Norgoma during its working days.The ship is currently at the Algoma Steel docks.
Award-winning Connections: Duluth Cargo Connect, a collaboration between the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Lake Superior Warehousing earned the Operator of the Year Award from Heavy Lift and Project Forwarding International magazine, announced in Antwerp, Belgium, this week. The winners are chosen by an international panel of experts, judging on demonstrated safe and efficient handling of oversized cargo; investment in new equipment and facilities for the storing and handling of oversized cargoes; maintenance of existing faciilities and minimized wait time for customers. “We’re honored to accept this award and we appreciate the recognition for our terminal,” Jonathan Lamb, president of Duluth Cargo Connect, said in a press release reported on BusinessNorth. “It’s a big world of ports and operators, so being selected at the head of that class for 2019 is something special.” Hanging out with the winning hardware in Antwerp are pictured, from left, Kevin Beardsley, chief financial officer of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority; Rick Revoir, president of the Port Authority Board of Commissioners; Port Authority Executive Director Deb DeLuca; Jonathan Lamb, president of Duluth Cargo Connect/Lake Superior Warehousing, and Pete Kramer, general manager, Duluth Cargo Connect/Lake Superior Warehousing.
Something Fishy: Wisconsin farming increasingly might include what can be reared in the water, and Wisconsin Sea Grant announced its participation in three of 42 federally funded aquaculture projects that, according to its press release, "will support a sustainable, domestic food supply and decrease America’s seafood trade deficit. Currently, 85% percent of seafood in the U.S. is imported, resulting in a $14 billion trade deficit, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." One of the projects partners the state Sea Grant with the UW-Stevens Point’s Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility in Bayfield (in photo), which Wisconsin Sea Grant Directory Jim Hurely calls, "a national leader in research and outreach.” The Wisconsin projects are part of the $16 million Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative created to advance sustainable aquaculture in the United States.
Festive Fall: We wanted a good excuse to use this lovely autumn photo of Bayfield, Wisconsin, taken from the water, and the perfect reason came up this weekend. It's Family Fall Fest on Madeline Island tomorrow (Oct. 19), giving you, too, the perfect excuse to take the ferry to the island for a jam-packed day of family activities (check out this downloadable schedule). Your family can join in the pumpkin decorating, the children’s costume parade, face painting and munching of free s'mores (while they last), or adults can browse the vendor booths, from the Wapple seller (that's a waffle filled with apple cheesecake and caramel sauce) to locally crafted wares, be it jewelry to artwork to handcarved spoons. There's also a car show, a farm market and the popular bicycle-powered cider press. Surely you can find your own excuse there to enjoy the day on island time.
Pre-Ski Prep: The National Team Development Center (NTDC) in Thunder Bay recently wrapped up a two-week training camp featuring some of Canada's top nordic skiers, including Nordiq Canada National Team coaches Erik Braten and Katie McMahon and NTDC Head Coach Timo Puiras, TBnewswatch reports. The trainees ended the week with a run up the Sleeping Giant overlooking Lake Superior. “I have been super impressed by the ski community here," Erik says of his first visit. "There are lots of volunteers ready to go at any time, knowledgeable coaches and staff, and most importantly, hard working athletes. Our skiers have had extremely valuable training here together with the NTDC, and I am so happy we have programs like the National Team Development Centre that develop great athletes to the National Team.” Julian Smith and Graham Ritchie are two local skiers on the National Team.
On the Run: The John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon will join four races in the inaugural year of a new international racing series that features the Iditarod in Alaska, the Volga Quest in Russia and the Femundløpet in Norway. Beargrease officials were approached in March to be part of the Qrill Pet Arctic World Series (QPAWS). Although the shortest of races at nearly 400 miles (the Iditarod covers about 1,000 miles), Beargrease is the longest such race in the lower 48 states. It starts, depending on weather, in Duluth. Rhonda Silence of WTIP in Grand Marais, Minnesota, did an interview about the partnership with Beargrease Board of Directors Vice President Frank Moe of MoeTown Kennels in Hovland. Meanwhile, dog lovers and mushing fans will appreciate P12 Film's movie The Great Alaskan Race, opening in theaters Oct. 25. It's based on the true story of musher Leonhard Seppala and his team traversing unforgiving terrain in 1925 to deliver medicine to save the town of Nome from a deadly epidemic. Dogs Balto and Togo became famous for the life-saving run. Beargrease organizers joined the Los Angeles premiere this week and posted photos (seen here, including puppies). On Oct. 24 in the West Theater in Duluth, there will be a fund-raising showing of the film to aid the Beargrease. The Beargrease marathon was established in 1980 to honor Anishinaabe mail carrier John Beargrease, whose deliveries by boat, dog sled and horse were pivotal in the development of Minnesota’s North Shore before roads existed.
Bakery Wars? Bring It On: The French has finally returned strongly to Marquette, named for a French priest. The city's downtown now is home to two French-style patisseries, reports Brian Cabell for Word on the Street. Within a few doors of the well-known and long established Babycakes, originally a mainly muffin joint morphed into a pastry/coffee/sandwich shop, is a new patisserie, 231 West. (Babycakes baked the chocolate-covered treat here and 231 West made the caramel lattes by the Lake.) As Brian points out, while competitors as sweet shops, the convergence of two great pastry stops might enhance visitations to both shops. We certainly would be willing to sacrifice and enjoy pastries from both.
So It Was Written: As a sad, final note, we must mention that a retired member of our Lake Superior Magazine family passed on this week. Hugh Bishop was born to Harold and Lois (Munholland) Bishop in Brainerd, Minnesota, on August 2, 1940, and grew up on a small farm near Backus. After serving one term in the U.S. Marine Corps, he attended Bemidji State University, where he earned a degree in English. He worked on various newspapers around the state and settled in Two Harbors in 1984 as the editor of the Lake County News Chronicle. Hugh later became a senior writer managing editorial for Lake Superior Magazine and as the main editor on the annual Lake Superior Travel Guide. He first worked by the Big Lake in 1975 as an employee of Erie Mining Company, which had its docks at Taconite Harbor. Hugh wrote four books before retiring from the magazine in 2006 – The Night the Fitz Went Down; Haunted Minnesota; Haunted Lake Superior and By Water & Rail. Hugh, 79, died Oct. 13 in Duluth's Bayshore Health and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by family. We will miss his wit, wisdom, amazing wordsmithing and twinkling smile.
Photo & graphic credits: Konnie LeMay; Duluth Seaway Port Authority; Wisconsin Sea Grant; National Team Development Center; John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon; Babycakes; 231 West; Lake Superior Magazine