Monday, December 31, 2018

Winter Storm and Gale Warning in Effect!

URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Marquette MI
431 AM EST Mon Dec 31 2018

...GALE WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM EST /8 AM CST/ THIS
MORNING TO 2 AM EST /1 AM CST/ TUESDAY...
...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM EST /5 PM
CST/ THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EST /9 AM CST/ TUESDAY...

The National Weather Service in Marquette has issued a Heavy
Freezing Spray Warning...which is in effect from 6 PM EST /5 PM
CST/ this evening to 10 AM EST /9 AM CST/ Tuesday.

* TIMING...Expect heavy freezing spray to occur from 6 PM EST /5
  PM CST/ this evening to 10 AM EST /9 AM CST/ Tuesday.

The Gale Warning is now in effect from 9 AM EST /8 AM CST/ this
morning to 2 AM EST /1 AM CST/ Tuesday.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE GALE WARNING...Expect sustained
  winds of up to 30 knots from the northeast, with gusts up to
  38 knots. The largest expected significant waves will be 12
  feet with a maximum wave height of up to 17 feet possible.

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Friday, December 28, 2018

Paul R Tregurtha departed Duluth 12/28/2018



Paul R Tregurtha departed Duluth this afternoon loaded with coal.

Lake Superior Northern Route

During the winter months, boats tend to take a different (Northern Route) across Lake Superior in order to avoid heavy ice buildup as they make their way. Today is no different.

Paul R Tregurtha arrived Duluth 12/27/2018 - Emergency go-around



Sometimes things do not go as routine as one would like, especially in the middle a winter storm. As the bridge was about to lift, a brief malfunction resulted in the 1000ft Paul R Tregurtha aborting the approach and circling around for successful entry. This video shows the professionalism by both the captain of the Tregurtha and the bridge operator at the time.
----------------------------
Follow-up information provided by Dave Campbell the Bridge Supervisor --- "It’s interesting for a number of reasons, first the operator was Paul Thomas. This just happened to be the last lift of Paul’s career. At the end of the shift, Paul retired after 30 years operating the bridge. We thought it was fitting that Paul’s last lift was going to be for the Paul R. the Queen of the Lakes. Finally, he sounded so calm on the radio transmissions but not quite so calm when he called me on the phone because the bridge wouldn’t lift. We were able to go through a couple of checks and found that one of the crossing gates, though it looked like it was completely lowered,  had not come down completely and was holding the bridge from going up. A quick raise and lower of the gate and we were off and running again."

Thursday, December 27, 2018

American Century departed Duluth 12/27/2018



American Century departed Duluth this evening loaded with coal.

Lake Superior Gale Warnings


With the posting of gale warnings, boats are heading for shelter from the winds

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM EST /2 AM CST/ TO 11 AM EST
/10 AM CST/ FRIDAY...

The National Weather Service in Marquette has issued a Gale
Warning...which is in effect from 3 AM EST /2 AM CST/ to 11 AM
EST /10 AM CST/ Friday.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE GALE WARNING...
Expect sustained winds of up to 30 knots from the north, with gusts up to 38
  knots. The largest expected significant waves will be 11 feet
  with a maximum wave height of up to 16 feet possible.

* TIMING...The maximum winds are expected around 5 AM EST Friday
  with the largest waves expected around 8 AM EST Friday.

Please see the latest marine forecasts for more detailed
information.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Gale Warning means winds of 34 to 47 knots are imminent or occurring. 
Operating a vessel in gale conditions requires
experience and properly equipped vessels.
 It is highly recommended that mariners without the proper experience seek safe
harbor prior to the onset of gale conditions.

James R Barker departed Duluth 12/27/2018



James R Barker departed Duluth early this morning in heavy snow.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

CSL Niagara arrived Duluth 12/26/2018



CSL Niagara arrived Duluth this evening loaded with salt.

Bentleyville Fireworks 12/26/2018



Tonight is the last night of Bentleyville for the season.  It was celebrated with a final fireworks display.  Because of the angle for the webcams, I overlayed one video on top of the other.

Bentleyville Fireworks at 18:30 tonight


James R Barker arrived Duluth 12/26/2018



James R Barker arrived Duluth this morning.

Winter Storm Warning!

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST FRIDAY... Heavy snow expected
Total snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches, except 9 to 15 inches for the higher terrain of the North Shore. Ice accumulations of a light glaze possibly along the I-35 corridor into northern portions of northwest Wisconsin.

Monday, December 24, 2018

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Monday, December 17, 2018

Globe Elevator Fire in Superior 12/17/18


This view from the harborcam is looking through the top of the Cargill elevators in Duluth which are far away from the actual fire.

The historic Globe Elevator in Superior burned this afternoon. The elevator was not being used and was being salvages for its timbers.

The cause is unknown at this time.  This video is a one minute view of the first hour of the burn.

There were no injuries.

Major grain elevator fire in Superior

There is a major fire at a grain elevator in Superior -- check the harborcam

Edwin H Gott arrived Two Harbors 12/17/2018



Edwin H Gott arrived Two Harbors this morning

Algoma Compass arrived Superior 12/17/2018



Algoma Compass arrived Superior this morning.

Indiana Harbor departed Duluth 12/17/2018



Indiana Harbor departed Duluth this morning.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Federal Rhine departed Duluth 12/15/2018



Federal Rhine departed Duluth this evening loaded with grain. The last Saltie of the season.

Roger Blough arrived Superior 12/15/2018



Roger Blough arrived Superior this afternoon.

American Integrity arrived Duluth 12/15/2018



American Integrity arrived Duluth this afternoon to load coal.

John G Munson - by: Jeff Doty

Jeff took this great photo of the Munson arriving the other day.  You can View more of Jeff's images at his Harborcam Gallery or at his Facebook page.

Great day for ice fishing

The Harborcam is zoomed in to an ice fishing village just off Sky Harbor Airport. Fishing must be good!

Last Saltie of the Season leaving today

The Federal Rhine will depart sometime today with a load of grain.
Check out the story HERE.


Morning Minute - Harbor Daybreak - Timelapse



In the rush of the season, don't forget to take a minute to give thanks for all our blessings.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Federal Rhine arrived Duluth 12/13/2018

American Mariner arrived Duluth 12/13/2018



American Mariner arrived Duluth this afternoon

Edgar B Speer departed Duluth 12/13/2018



Edgar B Speer departed Duluth

State of the Harborcams 2019

With only a few weeks left in 2018, I thought I would update you on the "State of the Harborcams" as we go into 2019. First off, I would like to thank all of you for helping me keep the cameras maintained and operating. While I enjoy watching the cams, I enjoy the fact that many people like yourself have a chance to look into their screen and have a bit of enjoyment watching the view of the Northland each day.

2018 - In 2018 we added Wisconsin Point Cam and replaced the GLA Cam, Hillside Cam and Harbor Cam ( I snuck that one in). We also installed a new weather station at the Marine Museum and installed a new marine scanner.

2019 - In 2019, we will be installing two cams at the Silver Bay Marina. The cameras have been purchased and programmed, however, there is some underground wiring that needs to be done first so we might have to wait until the ground thaws in the spring.

There was some discussion about doing something at the Soo Locks, however, we will not be involved. It will be nice to see what they come up with.

Cameras
Canal Cam  - This is a newer camera, however, it takes the brunt of bad weather. At some point, I would like to upgrade this camera to a more hardy version.

Bridge Cam - Working fine.

These two cams are located on top of the Lake Superior Marine Museum.  The internet connection sometimes gets bogged down when the waves and light conditions overload that camera streams -- hopefully, the internet bandwidth can be increased soon.

Hillside, Bayfront, and Harborcam - Hillside and Harborcam are new cams with zoom and pan capabilities.  Bayfront cam is now the oldest of all the cams ( 5 yrs). However, Hillside and Harborcam easily cover the Bayfront area.  I will keep the Bayfront cam as a backup, but may not run it all the time. This should relieve some bandwidth congestion at the Harbor  Hub. Right now 6 cams must share the internet connection and sometimes it gets bogged down.

GLA Cam - Working fine - no changes anticipated.

Pier B Cam - Working fine, no changes anticipated.

Wisconsin Point - While the location of this camera is not ideal, it is the only location on Wisconsin Point with power so there won't be any upgrades until there are more options for relocation.  Actually, the camera itself takes a tremendous beating from the weather and has held up very well (knock-on-wood). This camera provides a view very few people get a chance to see and enjoy.

Two Harbors - Two Harbors continues to be a great place to view the beautiful harbor and Lake Superior.
   Depot cam - While the Depot Cam gives a great perspective, I may look at moving its location in 2019 closer to the Harbor.
   Boat Launch - no changes anticipated.

Silver Bay - Similar to Two Harbors, this should be a great location to watch small boat activity as well as large boat traffic into North Shore Mining.

Summary - as with any new technology, there are always compromises on internet speed, image quality, and video transmission. The good thing is that there is always tweaking and component upgrades that come along that help.  So, the Good Lord willing, I plan to keep at this for 2019 - Enjoy the scenery!
Den

p.s. Most the time I don't really know what I'm doing with all this stuff so I just kinda stumble through it.

Miedwie departed Duluth 12/12/2018



Miedwie departed Duluth Wednesday evening loaded with grain.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Monday, December 10, 2018

Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth 12/10/2018



Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth this afternoon to load coal.

James R Barker arrived Duluth 12/10/2018



James R Barker arrived Duluth this afternoon to load iron pellets.

Laker Lullabies - Captain's Salute at the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge



Each Laker has a particular melody to its the horn as it blows a Captains Salute in each passage through the Duluth Shipping Canal.

Relax and enjoy the concert! If you would like to play it with just the boat horns and no background music, play the following.

Mesabi Miner arrived Two Harbors 12/09/2018



Mesabi Miner arrived Two Harbors Sunday evening.

American Integrity arrived Duluth 12/09/2018



American Integrity arrived Duluth Sunday evening.

Paul R Tregutha departed Duluth 12/09/2018



Paul R Tregutha departed Duluth Sunday evening loaded with coal.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Silver Bay Marina Project Donation List



Thank you guys so much for donating to the Silver Bay Marina Camera Project.

Edgar B Speer departed Duluth 12/05/2018



Edgar B Speer departed Duluth for Two Harbors this afternoon.

Marine Scanner installation is complete

FYI,
The Marine Scanner installation is complete. For those of you monitoring, I would appreciate any feedback on volume, squelch and static.

Thanks,
Den

Programmed frequencies:
Scanner Freqs
05 156.250 - port operations
06 156.3000 Safety, navigation, search & rescue.
08 156.4000 Commercial business traffic.
09 156.450 - emergency channel in Duluth harbor
10 156.5000 Commercial business traffic.
12 156.6000 Bridges, locks & dams.
13 156.650 - ship-to-ship communications
14 156.7000 Bridges, locks & dams.
16 156.8000 USCG, Hailing Channel, safety & distress.
18 156.9000 Harbor tugs.
20 157.0000 Bridges, locks & dams.
22 157.1000 Coast Guard.
26 157.3000 General use, & Great Lakes WX,
& 161.9000 in coded MAFOR & LAWEB.
28 157.4000 General use & Great Lakes WX,
& 162.0000 in plain language.
68 156.4250 Recreation boats, charters etc

CLYDE S VANENKEVORT arrived Duluth 12/05/18



CLYDE S VANENKEVORT arrived Duluth this morning.

Edgar B Speer arrived Duluth 12/05/2018



Edgar B Speer arrived Duluth early this morning.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Marine Scanner Upgrade

I will be installing a new marine scanner tomorrow. Hopefully, it improves the clarity and reception of the existing scanner.

Stewart J Cort departed Superior 12/04/2018



Stewart J Cort departed Superior this afternoon loaded down with iron pellets.

Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth 12/04/2018



Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth early this morning to load coal.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Upcoming Fundraiser!

Great News - We will be adding two cameras at the Silver Bay Marina to cover the marina and entrance to North Shore mining.  The project will bring the lovely Silver Bay Marina into your living room.

I will start the fundraising within the next few days and hope to have the camera system installed by spring ice out.  The budget for the project is $3000.

Beatrix arrived Duluth 12/03/2018



Beatrix arrived Duluth this evening to load grain.

James R Barker arrived Duluth 12/03/2018



James R Barker arrived Duluth this evening to load iron pellets.

Paul R Tregurtha departed, American Integrity arrived Duluth 12/03/18



Paul R Tregurtha departed, American Integrity arrived Duluth this morning.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Saturday, December 1, 2018

35 Ice Fishermen needed Rescue in Duluth



A sudden shift in wind broke up the ice cover on Superior Bay between 10 and 11 AM today resulting in 35 ice fishermen being stranded on the thin ice and in need of rescue.

You can see the tiny ice houses (tiny black dots) prior to the shift.

This video shows the shifting ice over a 60 min period.

see the story at WDIO - https://www.wdio.com/news/fishermen-rescued-park-point-ice-floe/5164010/?cat=10335

Gale Warning posted for Lake Superior


URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Marquette MI
1033 AM EST Sat Dec 1 2018

LSZ162-263-012345-
/O.CON.KMQT.GL.W.0040.181201T2200Z-181203T0000Z/
Lake Superior west of a line from Saxon Harbor WI to Grand
Portage MN beyond 5NM-
Lake Superior from Saxon Harbor WI to Upper Entrance to Portage
Canal MI 5NM off shore to the US/Canadian border including Isle
Royale National Park-
1033 AM EST Sat Dec 1 2018 /933 AM CST Sat Dec 1 2018/

...GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM EST /4 PM CST/ THIS
AFTERNOON TO 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ SUNDAY...

A Gale Warning remains in effect from 5 PM EST /4 PM CST/ this
afternoon to 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ Sunday.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE GALE WARNING...Expect sustained
  winds of up to 33 knots from the northeast, with gusts up to
  42 knots. The largest expected significant waves will be 15
  feet with a maximum wave height of up to 22 feet possible.

* TIMING...The maximum winds are expected around 1 AM EST Sunday
  with the largest waves expected around 10 AM EST Sunday.

Mesabi Miner arrived Duluth 12/01/2018



Mesabi Miner arrived Duluth this morning to load iron pellets.

Federal Margaree departed Duluth 11/30/2018



Federal Margaree departed Duluth Friday evening

Herbert C Jackson arrived Duluth 11/30/2018



Herbert C Jackson arrived Duluth Friday evening loaded with limestone.