Sept 1, 1997
Labor Day in Duluth


On the road at 7:15 and by the time we hit Interstate 53 a half hour later we had seen maybe ten cars. We have NEVER seen less traffic! When we pulled into the Canal Park area in Duluth at 9:30 it was the same story, empty parking lots! It was GREAT! A quick check of the ship schedule at the Lake Superior Maritime Museum (formerly known as the "Canal Park Ship Museum") and our plans were made. We would hang around the ship canal area until the next ship came in at 10:45 then we would take the harbor tour or go to the Omnimax if it started storming. We had our pick of parking spots today and we chose a spot centrally located to our planned activities so in case it started storming, we would never be far from the van.
Our walk to the ship canal was interrupted by two "Goof's on the Roof." Two people on a roof were yelling for money. Seems the MDA telethon was going on and they were collecting donations by lowering a bucket on a rope! A good gimmic. As we were the only people walking about at the moment, we were the center of their attention and could not get away! Down came the bucket, and up went our money. The sign on their bucket said, "Goof on the Roof." I asked them, "Which one of you is the goof?" They looked and pointed at each other and said at the same time, "Me!" We left them to argue it out by themselves.
We crossed the lift bridge to watch the ship from the other side. It is always less crowded on the far side, and the sun is in a better position for photography. We had time to walk all the way out to the lighthouse before the ship arrived. The water on the lakeside of the pier was absolutely clear. No muddy water today!
The Algolake was less than 2 minutes later than it's predicted arrival. It still interests me that after you first spot a ship on the horizon, it takes another half hour before it makes port. The Algolake has company insignia on both sides of the bow that look like eyes. Makes me think how much fun it would be if ships had some kind of figureheads painted on. Then again, that might SCARE a lot of people. ;-)
Slowly following the Algolake, we came upon two fishermen on the harbor end of the pier. Just as we came up to them, one got a big strike and yelled for the net! A few minutes later he hauled in a three ft, 10 lb Northern Pike. We walked away from one very happy fisherman.
It was 11 am and we could see the Vista Fleetharbor cruise dock across the water from where we were standing. We were buying our tickets 15 minutes later, after a brisk walk across the liftbridge, down Superior street, thru several parking areas and over the bright blue Slip Bridge. The two hour harbor tour would take us past many of the ports busiest loading docks. We would get close-up looks at
  1. the Charles M. Beeghly unloading limestone,
  2. the Quebecois being loaded with barley,
  3. the Algonorth at Harvest States loading grain and
  4. the Algolake loading coal at the Midwest Energy Terminal.
First, we went out in the lake about a mile to circle round the Yuriy Dolorukiv a Russian ship that was anchored, waiting, with three other ships, the Algoville, The LT Argosy and the Canadian Provider.
2:00 Omnimax Alaska
4:00 Lakewalk to Lief Erikson Park to see viking ship.
4:30 Charles M. Beeghly leaves
5:30 Algolake out (in at 10:45) at Garfield just before we leave eating burgeres and slushes./ rain on way home/ I drive all way/storm warnings Douglas county/heavy rain for ten minutes on 53

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