Monday, October 17, 2011

Big weekend gale on Lake Superior










Big Gale on Lake Superior this weekend due to a huge low pressure system that passed north of Bayfield and continued into Canada. We knew that the lake was angry when we saw a 1,000 foot Iron ore ship anchored in the Bay just south of Bayfield. There is only one thing that causes a ship like that to leave the open lake. That is massive waves. At one point Saturday night the Real Time Wave chart was showing near 25 foot waves in Eastern Lake Superior. The gale was howling and I woke a few times during the night due to the wind in the trees. But who was this ship anchored in the bay? Some minor research found this to be the Edwin H Gott. I've only seen ships go back and forth to Xcel Energy Electric plant in Ashland with coal and have never seen this large of a ship in Chequamegon Bay. Current Wave map still shows some larger waves on the lake on Monday night. This morning the GOTT was anchored behind Manitou Island near Copper Harbor Michigan. Now she is on the move again heading to Gary Indiana to unload the taconite pellets for a steel mill. Perhaps for cars being built in America. Get that economy rolling again! If she can get there in the bad weather! Imagine what this storm has cost shipping.

Link to the ship information:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interesting information concerning the "Big Ships" on the Great Lakes!!! We forget that there are constant concerns and that the Great Lakes are the bosses there. It must be surprising to see a large Ore Ship harbored in your Bay.