Courtesy Draken Harald Hårfagre
Draken Harald Hårfagre
Draken continues Great Lakes tour, may still appear in Duluth
The Viking ship Draken Harald Hårfagre has raised enough money to sail farther into the Great Lakes. The Sons of Norway Foundation, which is organizing the fundraising, has so far received more than $60,000, enough to get the ship to at least Chicago.
According to a press release posted on Wednesday:
With your continued support and donations we know that reaching Green Bay and Duluth is now a possibility. We are working very hard with all possible solutions to find sponsorships and reduce the amount of funds we need to raise.
Last week, the ship’s owner had announced that, due to a misunderstanding, unanticipated U.S. pilotage fees would force the vessel to cancel its summer slate of port appearances – including Duluth – and return to Norway.
That’s been averted for now. Sons of Norway continues to collect donations, with a goal of $430,000. Tall Ships Duluth is August 18-21.
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Glensheen Concert
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Glensheen Concert
Glensheen’s Concerts on the Pier featured folk/rock singer-songwriter Haley Bonar Wednesday night, drawing a good-sized crowd that included families with small children. Performers for these free concerts are set up on Glensheen’s 100-foot pier extending into Lake Superior. Music lovers sit along the pier and line the shoreline on blankets and lawn chairs, while kayakers, boaters and standup paddleboarders watch from the water. Haley, who releases her new album, “Impossible Dream,” on August 5, delighted the audience with her lovely voice and intriguing songs on a gorgeous summer evening. Only hours later, Duluth would be pounded by a powerful storm that caused widespread power outages and damage (and Glensheen was closed on Thursday as a result). More on that below.
The next Concert on the Pier is July 27 with Duluth folk and country-blues singer and musician Charlie Parr. The shows are at 7 p.m., but arrive early if you want to park in the Glensheen lot.
Winds reach 100 mph during severe storm
The Duluth News Tribune reports on a storm that, as of Friday afternoon, has still left thousands without power in the western Lake region:
Violent thunderstorms roared through parts of the Northland with hurricane-force winds early Thursday, downing trees and power lines and damaging homes and cars on a scale that left many residents stunned.
The Ironwood Daily Globe has a report from the western Upper Peninsula, where the winds topped 60 mph.
Northern Wisconsin highway reopens after last week’s flooding: Cars and light trucks are now allowed to travel U.S. Highway 2 again. (For updates on other closures and detours, go to 511wi.gov.) The damage estimate for the area has now topped $30 million, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station’s renovations are complete, reports WLUC-TV. The historic station, on the Keweenaw Peninsula, is open daily until early October.
Group of women dive all five Great Lakes in 24 hours: The 14 women started with Lake Superior. Their feat celebrated Women’s Dive Day, organized by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. WBKB-TV in northern Michigan has the story.
Lake Superior’s dragon: “Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, has its own monster called Mishipizheu. It isn’t so much a creature as it is a spirit or entity,” writes the archive team at the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library in a neat article.