Warbird Information Exchange

What visit to the Twin Ports would be complete without ships? During my road trip to Duluth I also took a little bit of time to watch the shipping traffic.


Duluth's signature landmark, the Aerial Lift Bridge


Recently decommisioned, the Coasr Guard cutter Sundew(WLB 404) is now a floating museum. Built in Duluth in 1944 Sundew is 180 feet long with a beam of 37 feet and displaces 1,025 tons fullt loaded. Primaraly a buoy tender, the Sundew's hull is reinforced for ice breaking.




Built in 1981 the Columbia Star is 1000 feet long with a beam of 105 feet. The Columbia Star can carry 78,850 tons of cargo and contains all the equipment needed for offloading onboard. The Columbia Star did not enter the port of Duluth Saturday, but anchored outside the channel.


The Oglebay Norton passes under the Aerial Lift Bridge. Launched in 1977, the Oglebay Norton is nearly identical to her sister ship the Columbia Star.

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Dan Johnson

Well, on a bit of a smaller scale, I found this situation in Northeast Harbor a few years ago.

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It's you and me against the world.

We attack at dawn.

Nice shots guys.

Rob, it seems strange to see such a ship still in service doesn't it?

Warhawk, any idea what happened to that boat?

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Dan Johnson

Looks tah me like someone 'ad a liiiittttttle toooooo mmmuuucch fun at the Saturday nite beanhole beans and lobstah bake. Then they forgot to put the little rubber plug back in the bottom of the boat after draining off their bath watah! Mustah been sum chilly, and justah tad bit damp come sunday mornin'!

No, I don't know what the facts were, this is the scene as I found it. The Nordsee was a fixture at N.E Harbor for many years and she always looked the worse for wear. I have a feeling that age and maintenance (mostly age) were the primary factors. The bow is grounded on the rocks lining the shore and is tied off to the pier, the stern is being supported in a sling suspended by the barge crane and in pic 1 you can see the water being pumped out of her. The beer was flowing even as I took these pics since there was nothing to be done till she was dry. I saw her in service for two or three more years after, but have seen no sign of her for a few years now. I'm headed up there this weekend and shall look for her as always, but I know I won't see her.

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It's you and me against the world.

We attack at dawn.

Excellent! Good luck with that, it would certainly be interesting to see.

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Dan Johnson

I just got this roll developed this week. All of these pictures were taken this past spring. The first pic shows me with something grey stuck to my shoes.

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It's you and me against the world.

We attack at dawn.

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