Navigation Aids: The U.S. Coast Guard's Sector Sault Ste. Marie started getting buoys back into the water this week. "ANT Sault Ste. Marie, along with are other Aids to Navigation (AToN) units, are hard at work commissioning buoys in support of Operation Spring Restore," posted the USCG station, along with this vertical image. "Here, ANT Soo is setting some buoys in Round Lake for the 2021 boating season." The crew of the USCG cutter Alder, meanwhile, was setting AToNs around Marquette (in this horizontal shot). The commander of USCG stations around Lake Superior, Capt. Anthony R. Jones, came from the Sault to join the head of Duluth Marine Safety Unit Cmdr. Frances Smith be part of the first ship ceremony in Duluth (read on!)
First Saltie for the Twin Ports: The captain and crew of the Federal Biscay got a warm welcome during the First Ship ceremony in Duluth on Tuesday this week. The Biscay, a Marshall Islands-flagged freighter, came under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge Sunday (April 18) with a load of 21,000 tons of cement. Dignitaries connected to the city and the port welcomed the ship, and Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Deb DeLuca, presented the captain with a chocolate and salted – appropriate! – caramel cake with little freighters on top. Deb noted that the ship came from Turkey and the cement would be used in construction projects from around the United States "all the way to Edmonton, Alberta" in Canada. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson called the arrival “an extraordinaire event for our community” and official launch of the 2021 international maritime season in the Twin Ports. She also marveled at the size of the ship as she spoke on the deck. “When you see them from the hill, they look large, but they are enormous when you are on them.” BusinessNorth reported on the event. The Biscay's commander, Capt. Melwyn Dias, said this is his second visit to Duluth. The ship remained in port for several days of cleaning before heading to Thunder Bay to pick up a load of grain.
And the Winner Is … In a usual year, Visit Duluth gets 2,000 to 2,500 entries in its First Ship Contest in which contestants try to get the hour and date that the first ocean-going vessel will go under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. This year more than 4,500 entered. So when the Federal Biscay passed under the bridge at 4:12 p.m. April 18 (Sunday), it made a winner of Amanda E. from North Mankato, Minn., whose grand prize featured a two-night stay at Fitger's Inn in the Lakeside Whirlpool King Suite; a $75 gift card to Bellisio's Italian Restaurant; a $50 gift card to Flagship; a $25 gift card to Wild State Cider and (our favorite) a 1-year subscription to Lake Superior Magazine … plus the chance to select passes to two local attraction sponsors. Amanda was one of 26 entries that chose April 18 as the day, but hers had the closest time at 4:04 p.m.
BioBlitzers: The Great Lakes BioBlitz launched on Earth Day and will continue through May 20. The Sea Grant initiative in collaboration the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and the Sea Grant Center for Great Lakes Literacy intends for the Great Lakes region to collectively observe and compare and share the biodiversity they find in their communities (even those hidden robin's nests like this one). People from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario are invited to join the counting. You can register online, where you can also find instructions. "A BioBlitz," says Sea Grant, "is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many wild, living things as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. This BioBlitz focuses on the Great Lakes region."
Bottled Water Proposal: Danielle Kaeding of Wisconsin Public Radio reports on a proposal to bottled artesian well water within the Lake Superior watershed. The Bayfield County Planning and Zoning Committee denied the conditional use application of the Herbster couple who hoped to capture water from about 40 acres of land and then bottle it for sale. Opposition to the proposal was strong and some suggested it violated the spirit of the Great Lakes Compact signed in 2008 by the eight governors of the Great Lakes states. However, Kristle Majchrzak, who was applying for the permit, pointed out that "transferring bottled water outside the area is not considered a diversion under Wisconsin law enforcing the compact," according to Danielle's story. "State statutes detail 'the transfer of bottled water from the Great Lakes basin in containers of 5.7 gallons or less' is not considered a water diversion, Kristle said, whose proposal suggested an "'eco-friendly and sustainable' operation with plans to use biodegradable bottles," Danielle wrote. The couple has 30 days to appeal the committee vote. How and when to allow water withdrawals has been controversial around the Great Lakes. Even after the Great Lakes Compact was signed, Nestle's was granted a permit for a 24-hour operation removing hundreds of gallons per minute of groundwater in Mecosta County, situated in Michigan's lower peninsula about half way between Lakes Michigan and Huron. That operation, along with all of the Nestle Waters North America assets were sold for $4.3 billion this year to One Rock Capital Partners, a New York private equity firm, according to a story by Garret Ellision of MLive. Bottling of beer, which is up to 95 percent water, has also been allowed.
Nobody Told the Deer: While it was announced this week that the closure of the border between the U.S. and Canada will again be extended for a month to at least May 21, Gord Ellis did a story for the CBC noting that the wild "citizens" of the two countries apparently have not gotten the memo. EJ Isaac, a wildlife biologist for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, told Gord the animals that the band is tracking continue to explore their cross-border territories. "We have moose that go back and forth across the Pigeon River," EJ said. "With deer it's not quite so back and forth on a daily basis. But quite a few deer winter in Grand Portage and summer in Ontario." The band collars wolves, bear, deer and moose. "Animals are moving back and forth," EJ added. "So we were talking about shared resources. We have three wolf packs that utilize both Grand Portage and sections of Ontario." This mom and baby in a photo by Christian Dalbec in Two Harbors, Minn. are not necessarily border crossers, but the image is perfect in advance of Mother's Day in May, don't you think? (As Christian noted in posting this photo, kids never much like their mom or dad cleaned out their ears.)
Keep West: The Landmark Conservancy is asking those using the Brownstone Trail out of Bayfield to please respect private property along the trail and to avoid leaving the designated route. "Did you know that most of the Brownstone Trail is privately owned, and public access has been granted via trail easements held by either Landmark Conservancy or the Town of Bayfield?" the conservancy posted in a recent story, warning that some are confused about the route. "This trail exists because of community collaboration, and we need your help spreading the word about using the correct route near Blue Wing Bay Road! Community members have been expressing concern and confusion regarding this section. Access has NOT been granted along the old railroad grade which is owned by private landowners in this location. Please respect their privacy and do not trespass through these lots." The conservancy also posted a story about recent improvements to the trail with this photo showing Conservation Manager Erika Lang with volunteers Rex Dollinger and Suz and Bryce Thomson.
This Just In … er, Out: The doors of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center remain closed, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rangers this week set up an outdoor info table at the entrance for the first time this year. The plan is to set up outside whenever weather permits so that the rangers can let folks know when ships are coming and going under the bridge and can answer any questions about the area, about maritime activity or about Lake Superior. When the building – and its museum and public restrooms – will open remains uncertain, though hopes are for at least a mid-summer entry. Soon the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association's gift shop, though, will open a sidewalk shop.
Above & Beyond for Shots in the Arm: The Chippewa County Health Department in Michigan recently posted about its work vaccinating crew on the freighters. The Lake Carriers’ Association and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asked the CCHD to collaborate on the shots-in-the-arms project. "CCHD staff are honored to participate in this venture and have embraced this experience as another reason they love public health," according to the post. In the first week, CCHD staff vaccinated about 50 crew members on five ships waiting at the Soo Locks. Within the community, the CCHD team has provided more than 12,000 COVID vaccines in less than four months.
Photo & graphic credits: Coast Guard's Sector Sault Ste. Marie; USCG Alder; Visit Duluth; Marie Thoms/Minnesota Sea Grant; Christian Dalbec; Landmark Conservancy; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Chippewa County Health Department