Steamship America documentary debuts on Monday, March 14
Steamship America
The SS America sank nearly 90 years ago at the western end of Isle Royale, but still the 182-foot package and passenger freighter fascinates.
A new documentary from Duluth-based WDSE-WRPT examines the life, death and afterlife of this storied vessel, which for decades traversed the waters from Duluth to today’s Thunder Bay. It delivered news, mail and vital supplies during an era when Lake Superior was the major highway. “Steamship America: A North Shore Legend” debuts on Monday, March 14, at 7 p.m. local time.
Producer Karen Sunderman previewed the documentary with a feature story in Lake Superior Magazine’s February/March issue. “Over time, the America and its story have become a darling in these parts,” she wrote. “Our job is to dive into the myths and discover the true history. Was the sinking really suspicious? Why did attempts to salvage the boat fail? Why, after nearly 90 years under water, is it so fondly remembered?”
Cindy Hayden, president of the magazine’s parent company, was interviewed for the documentary. Her late father and magazine owner, James R. Marshall, acquired the salvage rights to the vessel 30 years after it sank. He unsuccessfully attempted to raise it in the mid-1960s.
“It’s not every child that gets to say their father tried to raise a shipwreck,” Cindy says in a teaser. The full trailer is available on YouTube (or watch the embed above).
Local maritime supporters receive awards
Three members of the Twin Ports maritime community will be honored by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society this weekend.
Elmer Engman, the subject of a Duluth News Tribune profile, earned the Dive Community Contribution Award for his longtime support of Great Lakes diving. He founded the Gales of November maritime conference and gathering (of which this publication is a sponsor) in 1988 and has taught scuba diving for more than 40 years. The award is given to individuals or organizations “for exceptional service to the dive community or for going beyond the call of duty to do something that benefits the upper Midwest scuba diving community.”
Thom Holden will receive the C. Patrick Labadie Special Acknowledgment Award for “exceptional contributions to the upper Midwest preservation, history, or dive community.” He retired in 2013 from his job as director of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. Steve Daniel, a diver and shipwreck preservationist, will receive the GLSPS Appreciation Award, recognizing his longtime support of the society.
The awards will be presented at the Upper Midwest Scuba and Adventure Travel Show, this Saturday in the Twin Cities.
Duluth symposium to discuss water management issues
It’s all about the water when Minnesota Sea Grant partners with the University of Minnesota Law School to bring the “Upper Great Lakes Law and Policy Symposium: Managing Water Across Boundaries” to Duluth on March 24.
About 200 or so people, including special visitors from Russia, China, Mexico and Southeast Asia, are expected to attend presentations about the Great Lakes Compact, water regulations, trans-border tackling of aquatic invasive species, water diversions and water levels.
The consulate general from Canada, Jamshed Merchant, will address the group.
Courtesy Upper Great Lakes Law and Policy Symposium
Peter Annin
Peter Annin
Peter Annin, author of The Great Lakes Water Wars and co-director of Northland College’s new Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation, gives the first keynote talk on “Water Tension and the Great Lakes Compact.”
Representatives of the International Joint Commission, including Lana Pollack, chair of the U.S. Section, will be among the speakers.
The U.S. State Department intends to bring guests from China, Mexico, Russia, Israel, Vietnam and Tanzania to learn about how the United States and Canada co-manage the hundreds of miles of boundary waters between the two countries.
The one-day event will be at Greysolon Plaza downtown. The event is open to the public; the event is $60 and pre-registration ends March 18. Register and find the schedule online.
White-nose syndrome killing bats in northeastern Minnesota: The DNR says “several hundred bats have been found dead” at Soudan Underground Mine. Responsible for millions of bats’ deaths in North America, the fungus causes bats to wake from hibernation during the winter. They soon perish from starvation or exposure.
Paul Pepe honored for motorcycling campaign: Thunder Bay’s tourism manager and the winner of our Achievement Award last year, Paul was named an Unsung Motorcycle Hero by Motorcycle.com for his work with the Ride Lake Superior tourism initiative. It also offers resources to riders planning a Circle Tour.
The 2014 Olympic Gold Medal-winning curling team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, seems on a roll at the Tim Hortons Brier national men’s curling championship underway in Ottawa. It’s one of eight national rounds on the annual Canadian curling circuit. Team Northern Ontario, with skip Brad Jacobs, was undefeated going into the final days of the March 5-13 tourney thanks to a broom-touched rock foul that tipped a tough match with Alberta. Brad earned a little ribbing for his “ginger beard” and shaved head this tournament.
Superior’s ice castle demolished: The controlled breakup of the impressive man-made structure took place over seven days. Watch the video.
Our regional bike trails recognized: Singletracks named a Mountain Bike Capital for each state. Duluth earned the Minnesota title, Marquette won in Michigan and Cable took the crown in Wisconsin.
Thunder Bay is Canada’s best real estate deal: That’s according to MoneySense magazine, which used average home price, appreciation and other factors to build a ranking of Canadian cities.
Michigan posts construction map: Take note, summer travelers. Michigan’s 2016 road construction map, Paving the Way, is now available online for motorists to download. The agency is no longer printing the map for distribution. Instead, motorists are encouraged to download the map and print it on their own. State road construction details are also available on the Mi Drive traffic website, as well as the Mi Drive mobile app available on iTunes and Google Play.