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About this visit:
The PRT arrived Duluth for the 5th time this season May 27, 2024 at 12:50, cruising throgh the flock of Gulls at 6.1 kts! Arriving light, heading to the SMET dock in Superior to load coal. They pulled up to the SMET dock at 13:55 and began loading 63K Tons of Low Sulphur Coal. Loading completed May 28 at 00:24, they departed the dock. They departed Duluth 01:00, heading to St Clair MI to deliver the coal. Enjoy this while it lasts, rumors say less than 2 years left on the SMET dock!
Lets learn about those Gulls!
Info from birdwatchinghq.com
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Identifying Characteristics:
Adults range from 22.1 to 26.0 inches in length and have a 53.9 to 57.5-inch wingspan.
Breeding adults have light gray backs, white heads, white undersides, and black wingtips and may have dusky marks on their heads during the winter.
They have yellow eyes, dull pink legs, hefty bills, and barrel chests.
Herring Gulls are the familiar, quintessential “sea-gull” in Minnesota. They occupy farmland, coasts, bays, beaches, lakes, piers, and landfills. They’re most abundant on the coast and surrounding large lakes and river systems.
If you spend time at the beach, you’ve probably noticed Herring Gulls waiting for you to drop your snack! In addition to popcorn and chips from humans, they consume fish, crustaceans, mollusks, sea urchins, marine worms, smaller birds, eggs, carrion, and insects.
Herring Gulls will stop at nothing to get a meal! They’ve been observed preying on fish driven to the surface by feeding whales. They also will take hard-shelled items such as crabs and mollusks high into the air and drop them onto rocks to break them open.
Individuals have even been observed “fishing.” One individual was recorded dropping pieces of bread into a pond and catching the goldfish that came up to feed. It didn’t eat any bread itself, suggesting the gull was using the bread as a lure!
The population of Herring Gulls declined steeply during the 19th century because of over-hunting. While their range and population recovered during the 20th century, overfishing, oil spills, and pesticide contamination have reduced some populations.
Info from AI:
The MV Paul R. Tregurtha is a remarkable Great Lakes-based bulk carrier freighter. Let me share some fascinating details about this impressive vessel:
General Characteristics:
Length: She stretches an impressive 1,013.5 feet (308.9 meters) from bow to stern.
Beam: Her width is 105 feet (32 meters).
Depth: The ship’s depth reaches 56 feet (17 meters).
Tonnage: She boasts a net register tonnage of 14,497 tons and a gross tonnage of 36,360 tons.
Nickname: Affectionately known as “The Big Paul” or “Fancy De Lancey.”
Status: Currently in active service.
Significance:
The MV Paul R. Tregurtha holds the prestigious title of Queen of the Lakes. Although unofficial, this title recognizes her as the longest vessel actively navigating the Great Lakes.
She was the last of the thirteen “thousand footers” to enter service on the Great Lakes.
Construction and Features:
Originally launched as the MV William J. De Lancey, she was built at the American Ship Building Company yard in Lorain, Ohio.
The vessel was designed with two primary purposes:
Bulk Carrier: Transporting iron ore from Lake Superior ports to Republic Steel’s steel mill at Indiana Harbor or their transshipment terminal at Lorain.
Executive Passenger Transportation: She was one of the first freighters equipped with full air conditioning, elevators, and luxurious décor.
The hull was constructed in two parts: the forward section in Toledo, Ohio, and the stern portion in Lorain. When combined, she reached her impressive length.
Her unloading system features a stern-mounted 260-foot discharge boom that can swing 100 degrees to port or starboard. This system can unload at a rate of 10,000 long tons of iron ore per hour or 6,000 net tons of coal per hour.
Name Change:
In 1990, she received her current name, Paul R. Tregurtha, in honor of Paul R. Tregurtha, who served as the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company’s Board.
Operations:
MV William J. De Lancey embarked on her maiden voyage on May 10, 1981, sailing in ballast to Silver Bay, Minnesota, to load 55,944 long tons of iron ore pellets.
The MV Paul R. Tregurtha stands as a testament to engineering marvels and maritime history on the Great Lakes.