Friday, November 30, 2012

Duluth Harbor Boat Traffic for Thursday 11/30/2012


Cason J. Callaway departed at 07:25
CSL Assiniboine departed at 16:15
Arthur M. Anderson arrived at 18:15
Mesabi Miner arrived eat 21:20

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Snowflake Photography

With the recent snowfall, I was prompted to get out in my backyard and take some pictures of snowflakes using my camera and a special microscope.  Enjoy this snowflake video as you wait for more boats.

Full Moon at Split Rock Lighthouse

The full moon during the winter months rises at an azimuth where it comes up from behind the cliff at Split Rock Lighthouse making for a spectacular back-lit scene when viewed  from the Lake Superior shoreline below.
Split Rock Lighthouse was built in 1910 atop a 130 foot cliff. The lighthouse and has stood sentinel over the waters of western Lake Superior for more than 100 years.


Duluth Harbor Boat Traffic for Wednesday 11/28/2012

Paul R. Tregurtha departed at 07:27
Cason J. Callaway arrived at 19:30
CSL Assiniboine arrived at 21:30

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Harbor History: November 28 , 1905: The Mataafa Storm

By ; Zenith City Online




On this day on Lake Superior in 1905, a great storm began, known to many as the “Thanksgiving Storm” and, more often, the “Mataafa Storm.” The storm produced hurricane-force winds, and the water on Lake Superior’s western end was so high it drove through Minnesota Point at a spot known as “the barrens” hard enough to cut a channel. That day and the next, twenty-nine ships were wrecked or suffered damage, seventeen were stranded, and at least one foundered. The human toll was also heavy; the storm took thirty-three souls, nine of them just outside Duluth’s ship canal. The Mataafa, hauling a load of iron, steamed hard for the canal and safety beyond it. But as the Mataafa entered the canal, currents and wind gusts forced the ship into the north pier; conditions then carried it back into the lake before slamming it broadside against the pierhead. About 150 yards from shore, the Mataafa settled to the lake bottom and split in two. Members of the U.S. Life Savers stood helplessly on shore, the storm too strong to launch their lifeboats. That night thousands of Duluthians lined the shore, standing vigil as the storm pounded the wounded ship. When the Life Savers finally reached the ship the next morning they found fifteen sailors—including the ship’s captain—alive. Unfortunately, nine of the crew either drowned or froze to death. 

Read more about the Mataafa storm here and a sample of the newspaper coverage of the event here: MataafaStorm_11.29.1905_DNT,MataafaStorm_11.29.1905_02_DNTMataafaStorm_11.29.1905_02_DNT,MataafaStorm_11.30.1905_DNTMataafaStorm_11.30.1905_02_DNT.