Stress Relievers: Despite a smattering of rain recently, parts of the Big Lake region continue to be in drought conditions, especially in the Minnesota Arrowhead considered in "extreme drought." The Minnesota DNR recently posted a guide for watering your trees to keep them healthy going into the winter stretch. According to the DNR, signs that your tree is water-stressed include wilted leaves, early leaf fall or leaves turning brown or displaying early fall color. "You can help prepare your trees to survive the winter by keeping them well watered through the fall, until the ground freezes," the DNR advises. "Unless it rains at least an inch in the past week:
🚰 Water trees planted this year, every 2-3 days, with 15-25 gallons of water;
🚰 Water trees 2- to 5-years-old, once a week, with 15-25 gallons of water;
🚰 Thoroughly soak the soil under the canopy of mature trees, once a week. Find more tips on water, pruning and mulching online.
Fire Update: As of this morning, the 26,797-acre Greenwood Fire in northern Minnesota was 54% contained with 367 people working on the fire. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office opened Highway 2 between Highway 11 and Highway 1 to all traffic, but travelers are asked to be alert for firefighters and fire equipment in the area and to observe posted speed limits. Firefighters continue to scout for hot spots along Highway 2. Some areas were still closed including across the Kawishiwi, Laurentian and Tofte Ranger Districts of the Superior National Forest.
Port Numbers: The Port of Thunder Bay handled lower tonnages in August, with grain shipments dropping to a three-year low for the month, according to a recent release from the port. "Year-to-date grain shipments are now 1 million metric tonnes lower than last year’s 25-year high volume, marking a return to normal volumes. … Grain production analysts are predicting significant reductions in production on the Prairies due to extreme heat, drought, and grasshopper damage. This will likely impact port tonnage through the second half of the season, when cargo volumes are typically driven by harvesting activity." The release also showcased some notable highlights during the month, including the Keefer Terminal handled its largest shipment to date of European steel rail. "Steel imports at Keefer began six years ago, enabling the Western Canadian construction industry to access European-manufactured rail and structural steel via the Seaway. Steel cargo volumes at Keefer will double this year over last, signalling strong construction demand in the West." The port also welcomed a rare inbound grain cargo, delivered to Richardson’s Current River elevator in August. "The shipment of 12,000 MT of wheat originated from Richardson’s Hamilton terminal and is destined for Manitoba feed lots, providing cattle feed to drought- and heat-stricken farms. Thunder Bay elevators load out 8 million MT of grain annually, but records of inbound shipments are non-existent," the release noted. This photo of the port, taken by Michael Hull, was posted on its Facebook page
Sometimes You Meet the Bear & Sometimes … : Our Toronto friend and intrepid videographer of the Lake Superior Circle Tour, Andy Kaknevicius, went adventuring recently with another friend of the Lake Superior Magazine family, Lyle Nicol of Thunder Bay, and they had a close encounter of a bruin kind. "Lyle Nicol and I were enroute to the remote location of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Last Spike cairn (the Winnipeg/Montreal line completed in 1885). It was a difficult 10 km hike through dense forest, a rough rocky hydro cut, and several kms along the railroad tracks. … On day 1 we heard a pack of wolves in the nearby forest howling to a distant train horn and we were beyond ecstatic on a number of new finds. Well, it finally happened, something my friend Lyle and I discussed many times. We were walking with heavy backpacks loaded with camera gear along the elevated rail line famously known as the Jackfish curve. It is approximately 3 kms west of the ghost town. Thirty feet below to our left is Lake Superior, thirty feet below to our right is Jackfish Lake. We could only go forward or back on the train tracks." Despite being armed with bear spray, a hunting knife, high hopes and desperation, the stand off ended peacefully with the wary bear ambling away but not without leaving a parting shot. "Oh," posted Andy, "the bear left some fresh scat for us on the tracks and thankfully, we did not." You can read about the whole adventure on Andy's Facebook page.
Lakehead Royalty: Two Lakehead University professors are being honored by the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Lori Chambers, (on left) professor of Gender and Women’s Studies on the Thunder Bay campus, will be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Dr. Ruth Beatty, (on right) associate professor of Education on the Orillia campus, will be inducted into the RSC’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Lori is only the second member of the Lakehead faculty to be inducted into the Royal Society, joining Dr. Roger Mitchell, professor emeritus of Geology, who was elected as a Fellow in 1994.
Like Shore Lunch, Only Deeper: A diving crew that helps young people learn underwater skills had a few altered adventures this summer for its Lake Superior dives. "Like typical scouting events, BSA Scuba Venture Crew 820 always has a backup plan for our scheduled activities," leader Dean Soderbeck (by the red buoy) wrote recently in summarizing the July 31-Aug. 1 weekend dive. "This came in handy when we discovered that our ride, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society’s research vessel/dive boat, had a broken starboard transmission two weeks before our two-day 2021 Youth Introduction to Shipwreck Diving in Lake Superior. Instead of diving off R/V Preservation, we went with our backup plan – shore dives." Three youth scouts and three adult leaders swam from the shore between Split Rock Lighthouse and Golden Rock to the twisted remains of the 436-foot steel schooner-barge ship, Madeira. "After a 20-minute surface swim out to the shipwreck’s stern buoy, we descended along the buoy line to the ship’s stern then continued down to the pilot house that sits in 80 feet of water. We spent ten minutes at the pilot house depth before returning to the stern and heading back to the beach entry point underwater, safely allow the nitrogen buildup to release in shallower water." The next day, the crew visited the Hesper, a 250-foot, 1890 wooden bulk freight steamer that sank on May 4, 1905, after hitting a reef on the southwest side of Silver Bay Harbor. Among the things they divers noted was the water temps around them, starting at 50 feet. "The water temperature was a balmy 46° at that depth, but warmed slightly as we worked our way from stern to bow and back again," noted Dean. "On our second lap of the ship, I showed my dive computer to one of the scouts – the lake temperature had risen to 66° at midship, over the boiler studs protruding out of the deck timbers. It was usually 40° on this wreck!" They ended the dive after 47 minutes, Dean writes, Oh, and both days, after their "shore dives" they did have shore lunches.
To Market: The American Indian Community Housing Organization offers its first of two Indigenous Food & Art Markets from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the One Roof parking lot (12 E. 4th St.). Expect a diverse group of vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, breads, wild rice cupcakes, wild rice, honey, canned vegetables, fermented kombucha, jams/jellies, teas, salsas, mushrooms, CBD products, seeds, smoked fish, eggs, Indigenous artwork, health and beauty products, T-shirts and more. SNAP benefits accepted for approved food products.
Upstairs Theatre: This weekend the Boat Club Restaurant and Bar in Fitger's Brewery complex in Duluth is venturing into brunch and dinner theater on the second floor of the complex. Boat Club Productions is presenting "On Golden Pond." Brett Scott of Fox21 interviewed producer Jason Vincent about the new performance and company. Performances are this weekend and next to peek in on the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the 48th year. The production relaunches the Spirit of the North Theater, idled during 2020 by the pandemic.
Photo & graphic credits: Minnesota DNR; Michael Hall/Port of Thunder Bay; Andy Kaknevicius; Lakehead University; Dean Soderbeck/BSA Scuba Venture Crew 820; Christopher Sweet/AICHO; Boat Club Productions