Last week the Cook County News- Herald reported that several Great Lakes vessels were making progress past Grand Marais and Grand Portage toward Sault St. Marie with assistance of Coast Guard ice breaking tugs. However, after press time on Thursday evening, March 27, some of the ships turned around near Thunder Bay and returned to the Duluth Port. The too-thick Lake Superior ice had caused damage to the freighter Presque Isle and the ice cutter Morro Bay.
The convoy of ships included the 1,000-foot Presque Isle that was moored off-shore near Grand Marais for the day on March 26, awaiting assistance from ice cutters. Also traveling up the North Shore together were the 770-foot John G. Munson and Cason J. Calloway, led by the 240-foot icebreaker Mackinaw. The convoy also included ice cutters Katmai Bay and Morro Bay, both 140 feet.
When the convoy reached Thunder Bay the ice cutters headed there to break open that harbor. There, the Morro Bay reportedly damaged its rudder. It had to be towed by the Katmai Bay for most of the trek back down the shore to Duluth, the nearest and most easily accessible shipyard. The icebreaker Alder took over the tow in the final eight miles.
An exploratory dive was taken on April 1 and it was determined that some bolts that attached the ship’s rudder to a control post were missing. Lt. Kenny Pepper, commanding officer of the Morro Bay, told the Duluth News-Tribune that the best-case scenario would involve the fabrication of replacement bolts to facilitate an underwater repair of the rudder. He said if more complicated and prolonged repairs are deemed necessary, the cutter could be forced into dry dock.
According to the Daily Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping News, the Presque Isle made it back to the Duluth port on Saturday. The nature of the damage to the Presque Isle is unknown. However, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority listed the Presque Isle back in action, headed to Two Harbors on April 3.
The Callaway and the Munson continued to follow the Mackinaw toward Michipicoten Island in eastern Lake Superior, en route to the Soo Locks, according to the Shipping News. Another vessel, the Mesabi Miner also returned to the Twin Ports on Saturday. It departed the Twin Ports last week with coal for Taconite Harbor in Schroeder but turned back because of ice conditions. The Mesabi Miner will remain docked until conditions improve.
According to the Shipping News, ice is still four- to five-feet thick in some places on Lake Superior; with some ridges of eight feet of ice in some areas. There is some open water, but wind can blow the ice back into channels cut by ice breakers.
In an interview with the Duluth News-Tribune, Adele Yorde, Duluth Port Authority spokesperson, said, “It has been an unusually tough start to the shipping season with the thickness of ice and the pressure of ice buildup across Lake Superior.”
Anyone interested in following the progress of Lake Superior vessels can do so on-line at www.marinetraffic.com.
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