
The Big Sleep for the Big Ships
Two vessels are in winter layup and one in drydock at the Keefer Terminal in Thunder Bay. Baie Comeau (seen in this Port of Thunder Bay photo) and CSL St-Laurent will stay there for the winter with the usual winter check ups and maintenance. Federal Yoshino will spend the winter in Thunder Bay in drydock.
The "pug-nosed" Atlantic Huron arrived in Duluth on Jan. 2 to become the first vessel for winter layup in the Twin Ports, according to David Schauer, maritime photographer and president of the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association. He took this photo of the vessel's arrival. In Duluth, seven vessels are wintering over, according to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. They, and their locations, are: American Century, Hansen-Mueller Elevator M in Superior; CSL Atlantic Huron and Presque Isle at Clure Terminal in Duluth; Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Ogdensburg Pier in Superior; and at Superior's Fraser Shipyards, Honorable James L. Oberstar, John L. Boland and Lee A. Tregurtha.

For Your Listening Pleasure
There are a few recent podcasts and radio reports with Big Lake subjects worth checking out (and maybe to "follow," too) …
• Points North, a Great Lakes podcast based in Interlocken, Mich., did its most recent episode on Albert "Big Abe" LeBlanc, a Lake Superior Ojibwe commercial fisherman who help to bring recognition of treaty rights to the Anishinaabe people in the region. The story is reported and produced by Ellie Katz (who also took this photo of Albert “Sonny” LeBlanc, one of Big Abe’s children, holding a 1975 Chicago Sun-Times article about his dad). You can find the full transcript and audio story, "Big Abe's Nets" here.
• That Big Lake sunrise-chasing resident of the Upper Peninsula – Bugsy Sailor of Marquette - whom we told you about when he was recent featured on CBS Sunday Morning, is getting recognition again. This time Bugsy was a guest of Frida Waara and Walt Lindala on the Lake Superior Podcast done by the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation. Check out the full interview with Bugsy here.
• MPRNews about his upcoming competition in the Arrowhead Ultra 135. Runners must pull 40-pounds on a sled as part of the race. "Since the race was founded about two decades ago, fewer than half of all runners have finished the race. Others race on bike, and skis," Dan reports. The race is Jan. 27-29. Here the full story and read the transcript here.
Spencer Pierce of WDIO in Duluth also did a story on Michael you can find here. If you want to donate to the Y on Michael's behalf, do that here.
Doubly Good
Superior high school senior student Kyra Bradley had her artwork "The Duality of Man" awarded a Silver Key by Scholastic Art and Writing: 2025 Scholastic Art Awards Wisconsin. Kyra's artwork will be displayed at Milwaukee Art Museum with an opening award ceremony on Feb. 8. A Silver Key in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards signifies that a student's artwork has been recognized at a regional level as a standout work, demonstrating exceptional artistic ability, it notes on the Superior Senior High School's Facebook page.

Finding the Funny … and Other Bookish Endeavors
• Gina Ramsey, a writer from Superior, launched her second volume this week of Burnt Gloveboxes II: Embracing Life When It Goes Up in Flames. Gina calls herself an authorpreneur and besides writing, she co-hosts with Debbie Turrise a podcast called "Laugh Lines and Turbulence with Deb & Gina. Support of others and kind words about her original Burnt Gloveboxes book gives her the courage to "continue to do what I was put on this planet to do: Create positive change through my writing," Gina says. Beginning this spring, she'll be soliciting the "Murphy's Law" story of others, she says, through her website. Gina's newest book, published by Highlander Press can be purchased through local bookstores or through her website. We did a wee interview with her about her life's philosophy of "Find the Funny" and that story can be found on our Lake Superior Magazine website here.
• On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Kira Jane Buxton and Gretchen Anthony celebrate Kira's new book Tartufo at a special event hosted by the Bookstore at Fitger's. Each ticket includes a copy of book and appetizers.
• Author Nickolas Butler visits the Apostle Islands Booksellers in Bayfield, Wis., on Feb. 4 to sign and talk about his new book, A Forty Year Kiss, of which the Bookseller folks say, "Nick has written the characters of Wisconsin truthfully and beautifully flawed." You can pre-order the book through the Facebook page.
• On Saturday, Feb. 8, writers Pam Houston and Deborah Jackson Taffa talk about their latest works, Without Exception and Whiskey Tender, at Honest Dog Books in Bayfield.
• On Sunday Feb. 9 as part of West Duluth’s Winter Out West festival, Zenith Bookstore hosts Dr. Katrina Phillips and artist Sam Zimmerman to read from their new children's book, I Am On Indigenous Land.


Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Now-Saturday, Jan. 25: Sauna Week Keweenaw continues with a free Sauna Forum, 3 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church in Hancock. Eero Kilpi, Finlandia Foundation "Lecturer of the Year" will discuss “Sauna Lost in Translation: Restoring Finnishness to a Global Tradition.” Then on Sunday, enjoy the annual midwinter celebration of Finnish culture in Hancock that brings out the wacky side of winter – Heikinpäivä. It features a parade with the stuff of Finnish legend as well as kicksled races, musical performances, cultural and craft-making workshops and a traditional Finnish contra-dance with a live band
Saturday, Jan. 25: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community celebrates with its 19th Winter Traditional Pow Wow at the Niiwin Akeaa Community Center in Baraga. All are welcome.
Minnesota
Friday & Sunday, Jan. 24 & 26: Lyric Opera of the North (LOON) presents "The Radio Hour" during two 40-minute performances this weekend at The St. Louis County Depot Mainstage in Duluth. The first is 7 p.m. Friday and the second is 3 p.m. Sunday.
Fridays, Thru Mar. 14: Films on Fridays at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais starts this week with "Charade," a romantic/comedy/mystery (1963) starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Films start at 6 p.m.
Friday-Sunday, Jan. 24-26: The Jim Osbakken Memorial Bonspiel, sponsored by the Two Harbors Curling Club, runs all day with teams from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada and New Mexico (we don't know why, but that's what it says!).
Today-Sunday, Jan. 23-26: The Tiny Bird Art online auction in support of the Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog is underway. Goes until Sunday at 6 p.m. Check out the art online.
Wisconsin
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 24-25: You think you know "ice"? Not like you'll see at the annual Lake Superior Ice Festival this weekend in Superior. There is ice sculptures, tournaments, food, vendors, fun and the crowning of the winners from the Humane Society of Douglas County's Pet Royalty contest – one horse, two dogs and two cats are in the running. (You can see them here.) Plus there are half-price tours at Fairlawn Mansion. Download the full non-stop, two-day schedule here.
Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 24-25 & Jan. 30-Feb. 2: Chequamegon Theatre Association performs "Swan Lake" at evening and matinee performances in the Rinehart Theatre 210, Ashland.
Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 25-26: Legendary Waters Resort & Casino's 8th annual Winter Pow Wow is this weekend in Red Cliff, with vendors, feasting, dancing (of course) and community fun.
Saturday, Jan. 25: Feeding Leroy from Duluth comes to the Backstage at Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield. The group brings “Upnorth, original, good-timey tunes … a blending of Americana and Bluegrass, their original songs and vocal harmonies are country music at its core," organizers say.
Saturday, Jan. 25: White Winter Mead, Cider & Spirits in Iron River hosts CATurday Night Live with FISHLICKER IMPROV in support of Helping Paws Pet Rescue. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Ontario
On-Going: Howl at the Moon, Thunder Bay’s first dry saloon and late night coffee bar, offers a series of activities, including a weekly "Healing Circle Tonight" on Sundays at 7 p.m. Good place to hang out for those going dry in January.
Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 25-26: Enjoy two musical performances in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend. The Algoma Conservancy's Loft features a concert by Victoria Jones on violin with Angela Park on piano at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and then on Sunday at 3 p.m. showcases Aleksi Campagne, whose original music blends folk songwriting with "an edgy, multi-layered sound resulting from his unique combination of voice, violin and looping-effect pedals."
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Port of Thunder Bay; David Schauer; Ellie Katz, Points North; Bugsy Sailor; Michael Koppy; Kyra Bradley; Gina Ramsey; Spotlight, from left, Sauna Week Keweenaw/Lyric Opera of the North/Lake Superior Ice Festival/Howl at the Moon by Andrei Rosario