Duluth Harbor Cam

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Shipping Season gets underway WEDNESDAY in Port of Duluth-Superior

From Duluth Seaway Port Authority Duluth, Minn., USA (March 21, 2017)—

The first U.S.-flag lakers are expected to depart the Port of Duluth-Superior tomorrow, Wed., March 22, signaling the start of the 2017 commercial shipping season at this, the farthest inland port on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. Exact times are difficult to pinpoint during start-up (i.e. ‘fit-out,’ in industry terms), but the first departure may very well take place while most folks are still asleep! The Roger Blough is expected to leave its berth at the Clure Public Marine Terminal at first light Wednesday and depart beneath Duluth’s famed Aerial Bridge en route to the CN Docks in Two Harbors to load iron ore. After fueling late afternoon/early evening, another Great Lakes Fleet vessel, the Philip R. Clarke, will also head to Two Harbors to take on its first cargo of the season. Both vessels, with deliveries to make to steel mills on the Lower Lakes, will proceed across Lake Superior toward Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to await the opening of the Soo Locks at 12:01 a.m. on Sat., March 25. The Blough is expected to be the lead ship downbound as she was in 2016. Interlake’s flagship, the 1013.5-ft Paul R. Tregurtha, wintered at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal and is scheduled to load coal there Wednesday, then move to the Clure Terminal for final preparations before leaving for Silver Bay tomorrow night/early Thursday. After discharge, that vessel will return to Superior to load coal for its first inter-lake delivery to the St. Clair Power Plant in Michigan. Two more Interlake Steamship Co. freighters that wintered in the Twin Ports – the Lee A. Tregurtha and the Herbert C. Jackson – are expected to depart late Wednesday, as well. The Lee A. is in position to leave Fraser Shipyards first, sometime midday. Both vessels will stop to fuel at the Calumet dock in Duluth before heading out to Two Harbors and Silver Bay, respectively, to load iron ore. The Burns Harbor is due to move from its layup berth to the BNSF Railway Dock to load iron ore Wednesday before departing via the Superior Entry. American Century is set to leave Thursday to load in Silver Bay while fleet mate, the American Spirit, is expected to move to the CN Duluth Dock to load iron ore over the weekend before getting underway. NOTE: All vessel departure/arrival times are estimates and are subject to change without notice. With the Soo Locks opening Saturday and virtually ice-free conditions across the Lakes, Port of Duluth-Superior should see its first arrival from the Soo on Sunday, most likely the Stewart J. Cort, the James R. Barker or the Cason J. Callaway, but that’s still too close to call. For updates, check www.duluthboats.com. Watch real-time transits at www.marinetraffic.com or http://ais.boatnerd.com or on mobile devices with Marine Traffic or Ship Finder apps.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Duluth Sunrise 03/19/2017

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Seafarer's Prayer

With a new shipping season soon upon us, I thought I would share small piece of my nautical heritage.

My Great Grandfather was an Icelandic itinerant preacher who visited small fishing villages in Iceland during the 1880’s before immigrating to Manitoba Canada in 1893. He brought new safety programs and rescue equipment to the Icelandic fishing villages along with the message of the Gospel.

He wrote this Seafarer’s prayer which was much used by the fishermen of the day.

I think it still applies today, maybe even more so!

Seafarer's Prayer - Rev. Oddur Vigfus Gislason

In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit:

Almighty and Merciful God. I thank Thee for Thy Great protection and mercy, that You have given me life and health, so that I am in a condition to seek work in the sweat of my brow. Oh, my Lord and my God, when I now fare forth out to the fish grounds and feel my impotence and the weakness of my boat in meeting the forces of the mighty elements, then I do lift up Thee my eyes of trust and hope and beseech You, in Jesus’ name, to lead us with good fortune out on the deep, to bless us in our quest for a good catch, to protect us, that we may again reach the shore safely, and come back to our loved ones, after we have gathered much provisions that You have in Your goodness, seen fit to afford us.

Bless our loved ones and give us that we may be re-united with them in joy and safety, for the sake of the Holy Spirit; we give You all our laud and thanks, and worship. Oh, Lord, give us all good fortune - to the ship and to the men - in Jesus name. Amen.