Duluth Minnesota and Lake Superior

 Arriving in Duluth Minnesota, and the expansive Lake Superior. The largest fresh water lake 
 in the world. The shipping hub for domestic and international trade. I am having trouble keeping track of what state we are in on any given day. Not to mention the times keep changing as we travel east. 

Duluth neighborhoods are built up on a surrounding hill side. Below, Lake Superior, the largest of all the Great Lakes expands beyond my visual horizon as you can see from the picture. Three US States share shoreline on Lake Superior. We paralleled that shoreline through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

 Who can pass up a visit to Lake Superior Maritime Museum. Huge 1000 foot long cargo ships arrive and depart the harbor several times during the day. Some of the main exports out of Duluth are iron ore pellets, wheat and cement.

The Aerial Lift Bridge  stands over the man-made shipping canal constructed to facilitate   passage of shipping traffic, while providing a land route to across the water.

         Notice the bridge is now in the up position readying for the departer of the Mesabi Miner. I suspect we hung around  not only to watch the departure of the Mesabi Miner cargo ship, but to watch the mechanics of the bridge as it lowered down. Norm stood right under it as it lowered down to what looked like a few  feet above his head.

The Mesabi Miner arrived Sunday afternoon, loaded-up with iron ore pellets and is now          making her way out of the harbor to some distant destination. She is Huge

Here she is out in the open sea. 1000 ft long and 100 foot wide. Carrying 62 thousand tons of cargo.

 

                       Duluth harbor light house tending to and guiding shipping traffic