Lock Out: The MacArthur Lock (in photo) is closing down early this season for "critical maintenance," the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced this week. The lock, the smaller of two still in operation each year at the Soo Locks, will close to marine traffic 7 a.m. Dec. 15 and will not reopen until 12:01 a.m. on April 30 next spring. The Poe Lock will remain open until the usual Jan. 15, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. or until commercial traffic ceases, whichever occurs first. The operating season is fixed by federal regulation and is driven in part by vessel operation ability in typical ice conditions. “The 800-foot-long MacArthur Lock, built in 1943, is 78 years old; the maintenance period is critical to keeping the lock in operation during the shipping season,” Maintenance Branch Chief LeighAnn Ryckeghem says in the release. The release continues: Every year, the Corps of Engineers uses the winter period to perform maintenance to keep the Soo Locks operating. The MacArthur requires several projects to be completed before reopening. “The first step is to place the upper and lower bulkheads, then our dive team goes into the freezing water to seal the bulkheads and prepare the lock for dewatering,” LeighAnn says. The team will install a temporary panel bridge across the MacArthur Lock. This panel bridge will provide the ability to mobilize materials and equipment to the job sites throughout the winter closure. Maintenance crews will complete hydraulic steel structure inspections and repair the MacArthur Lock’s miter gate 5 sill. Morrish-Wallace Construction Inc. (Ryba Marine Construction from Cheboygan, Mich.), was awarded $7.276 million to replace the MacArthur Lock tainter valve machinery connected to the gate. “The contract was awarded in August of 2020 due to the long lead time needed to manufacture the mechanical components,” Chief of Construction Nicholas Pettit said. The scheduled construction completion date is April 30, 2022. In addition, crews will perform a wide range of other maintenance tasks from fender timber replacements on the piers to inspections and preventative maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems. Work on the New Lock, which will replace two older locks for one new Poe-sized structure, also halts for the winter.
Meanwhile, the Corps and the International Lake Superior Board of Control updated the water levels for Lake Superior for November. As a result of the drier than average weather and water supply conditions, the water levels of Lake Superior declined by more than the average during the month. Weather and water supply conditions record low in the Lake Superior basin in November. The Big Lake declined by 4.7 inches, while on average it drops about 2 inches in November. At the beginning of December, Lake Superior is 5.1 inches below its long-term average water level (1918 – 2020) and 15 inches below the level of a year ago. Water levels typically continue to decline in December, and Lake Superior may drop an additional 4.7 inches in the month.
The Buoys Are Back Home: The last of three new climate-monitoring, maritime-safety buoys was retrieved for the season Monday in Marquette. Superior Watershed Partnership staff fetched the buoy with boat support provided by the state DNR. Jeff Koch of the SWP is seen pulling in the buoy and later poses (on left) with Tyler Penrod, also of SWP and Brett Delonge of the DNR. The SWP received $47,786.80 in grant funding through the Great Lakes Observing System to purchase and deploy three new monitoring buoys during the 2021 season. New buoys were deployed at Marquette, Munising and Grand Marais, Mich. The Marquette buoy was placed north-east of Black Rocks at a location determined by the U.S. Coast Guard in cooperation with SWP, DNR and NOAA. The Munising and Grand Marais buoys were deployed and retrieved by SWP staff with boat support provided by Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Each of the three buoys collect important navigation and climate planning data including wave height, wind speed, water temperature and more. The live data provided by these buoys is critical for commercial and recreational boaters as well as the National Weather Service, Environment Canada and NOAA, according to a SWP press release about the retrieval. The partnership uses buoy data for long term climate adaptation planning with coastal communities in the Upper Peninsula. The Superior Watershed Partnership, the 2020 Lake Superior Achievement Award winner, is a Great Lakes non-profit organization focusing on environmental conservation, habitat restoration and community climate adaptation. Find out more about the Great Lakes Observing System monitoring buoy program online.
Wacky Winter Sports: Patrick Collins has done a lively video showing "Unusual winter sports" for Cottage Life out of Toronto. Many of the examples are quite familiar to folks in our region, including skijoring (though we don't see any dogs in the video) and polar bear plunging, But we have yet to see snow kayaking (like in this photo), Yukigassen aka armored snowball battles, ski ballet, snow swimming (no water needed) and snow-ga (soon to feature goat snow-ga, we expect). It's all wacky fun … and may make you warm to winter, at least a little bit.
Lookin' for a Good Listen?: The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation has leaped into the podcasting genre with its Lake Superior Podcast. The bi-weekly show is hosted by Walt Lindala, a veteran U.P. broadcaster who grew up in Chassell, and long-time Lake Superior Magazine contributor Frida Waara of Marquette. They've interviewed photographers, park superintendents, kayakers and historians so far. The latest episode released on Sunday was a chat with David Gerth, founder of Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society and pleasantly fanatic advocate for that lighthouse. Deborah J. Mann did "Rescuing the Rock," a Lake Superior Magazine story on the volunteer preservation group in 2018.
On the Finnish Front: In honor of Finland’s 104th Independence Day, the Finlandia Foundation Northland Chapter in Duluth will hold a small gathering at South Pier Inn on Monday (Dec. 6) at 5:30 pm. The Finnish American group will sing the Finnish National Anthem and honor the flag, joining their friends and families in Finland in Independence Day celebrations. To honor the special day, the South Pier Inn will fly the Finnish flag from morning to midnight. On Tuesday, Dr. Arne Vainio did a virtual presentation called "I am Finnishinaabe" celebrating both his Anishinaabe and Finnish heritage and sponsored by the foundation chapter and by the American Indian Community Housing Organization. The physician serving the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has visited Finland as well and embraces both cultures. In mid-November, Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz (on left in photo) visited Finland on a trade mission. "It was an honor to meet you today, President Niinisto," Tim posted. "Thank you for the hospitality and for taking the time to discuss the continued partnership between Minnesota and Finland. I look forward to working together to ensure a bright and prosperous future for all of our people."
Elsewhere on the Finnish Front: Finlandia University in Hancock, Mich. has an even longer anniversary to celebrate than the Finnish Independence Day. Starting today, it launches a 125th anniversary celebration through Sunday (Dec. 3-5). COVID surges have altered some of the celebration, but the in-person events for Sunday will take place as scheduled – a 10:30 a.m. Worship Service at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and a 1 p.m. Finnish Independence Day Program at Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center. Both events will require masks and sign in and no refreshments will be offered. A live-stream feed will help those not in Hancock join the activities. North Wind Books on campus is having a sale that continues today to mark its own 30th anniversary. Here's a few history notes from the university: "Finlandia University was founded in 1896 as Suomi College, but its heritage extends hundreds of years before that. Finnish people developed the attitude of 'sisu' (pronounced – see’-soo) or 'persistence and determination' during the early years of their country’s formation. It is with this steadfast attitude that Suomi College was established. After years of hard labor in the Upper Peninsula mining and lumber camps, Finnish immigrants began to dream of a better life for their children and future Finnish-American generations. They found their answer in Suomi College. Although the first graduating class consisted of only 11 men and women, the college persisted and in 1899 acquired its first building, Old Main. The Finns recognized the need not only to educate their children, but to maintain their cultural heritage. Hence, the two-year college served many purposes in its early years: preserving Finnish culture, upholding and teaching the tenets of the Lutheran religion, training Lutheran ministers, and educating students in English and other skills that would provide job opportunities in their new land."
On the Shopping Radar: This is going to be a great hometown shopping weekend around the Big Lake region. We mentioned several options in the Wednesday "Spotlight on Events," and we're going to repeat a couple and add a few more in Minnesota and Wisconsin for your consideration. Get out there and buy local!
KNIFE RIVER, Minn., small but mighty, hosts its grand Juleybyen 2021 (or "Christmas Village") with a special guest this year – the Leif Erikson Viking Ship, a replica (with head attached!) that sailed from Norway to Duluth in the 1920s to prove that it could be done and the Vikings could and did arrive in North America (now a more accepted version of history than at that time). The festival features wonderful foods, children's activities, a troll village and indoor and outdoor markets with vendors selling saunas to soaps, Christmas garlands to Love Creamery ice cream, metal works to birchbark jewelry. Lake Superior Magazine featured the then-blossoming celebration in 2013. We think the best way to get there is round trip on the train from The Depot in Duluth. Festivities run 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
DULUTH abounds with options … including the Hillside Makers Market in the Holiday Center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday & Sunday. Our Lake Superior Magazine crew will be there, too! The Duluth Winter Village sets up its cute wooden "cabins" at the DECC from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday & Sunday; Zeitgeist hosts a Shop Small Duluth Holiday Popup 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Hoops Brewing hosts its Saturday Makers Market 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Duluth Studio Market will host Artisan Pop-ups 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
BAYFIELD, Wis., continues its Hometown Holidays activities through Dec. 17, but this evening you can visit the Heartwarming Holiday Market from 4-7 p.m. at Wild Rice Retreat. Browse the wares of local artists while listening to live music and sampling treats, mulled wine or spirit-free beverages.
CABLE, Wis., celebrates with Christmas in Cable starting tonight a 5:30 pm. And rolls through Saturday until 2 p.m. The fun starts with the community Christmas tree lighting at The Portage, sponsored by The Portage and the town of Cable. Enjoy hot cocoa, cookies and neighborly company. On Saturday shop great deals and specialty, handmade gifts throughout downtown accompanied by broadcast Christmas music plus treats, prizes and hot cocoa. Special Saturday activities include Christmas Craft Fair at the Community Center (9 a.m.-2 p.m); 2nd Chapter Christmas Sale at Cable UCC Church (9 a.m.-1 p.m.); Cookie Sale by the Pound at Trinity Lutheran Chapel (9 a.m.-1 p.m.) and Cable Natural History Museum Bird Scavenger Hunt with prizes (10 a.m.-2 p.m.). Don’t forget the ongoing Shop Local Holiday Challenge in which you get 1 entry for a $500 drawing for every $25 spent in a local shop.
HAYWARD, Wis., continues its Christmas in Hayward on Saturday with the Ugly Sweater 5K at 10 a.m. on Main Street – registration opens at 9 a.m. There will also be horse-drawn sleigh rides (noon-3 p.m.), a hot chocolate crawl (noon-3 p.m.) and a fire pit with s’mores (noon-4 p.m.) And, of course, Christmas deals in downtown shops. The celebrations continue through to Christmas.
Just One More: Indigenous First Art & Gift Shop has reopened to in-person shopping after being online only for nearly two years. The shop, located in the American Indian Community Housing Organization building in Duluth, will now be open Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays noon-4 p.m. "Indigenous First Arts & Gifts is excited to say that we have opened our shop to in-person shopping for the first time in more than 20 months," notes co-coordinator Avery Makes Room For Them. "We strive to support indigenous economy primarily locally." The shop features artworks plus gift and other items. "We have an upcoming book-signing event with Tashia Hart's The Goodberry Cookbook and Linda Grover's new book Gichigami Hearts happening the 18th," Avery says, "as well as a last-minute Christmas shopping day on the 23rd with a wild rice cupcake sale. We have tons of new products ranging from Native skin care, candles, wild rice and maple syrup, new coffee and books as well as clothing apparel and home goods! We are very excited to buy from primarily Native-owned companies and Indigenous artists' designs and artwork." The shop also continues its frequently updated online options and showcases items on Facebook.
Photo & graphic credits: Carrie Fox/U.S. Army Corps; Superior Watershed Partnership; Cottage Life; National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation; Finlandia Foundation Northland Chapter; Ivy Vainio; Gov. Tim Walz office; Finlandia University; Juleybyen 2021; Hillside Makers Market in the Holiday Center; Indigenous First Art & Gift Shop