Oberstar underway for Superior shipyard
MONDAY UPDATE, 10 A.M. – The Oberstar arrived at the Duluth Entry around 10 am Monday with an escort from Duluth-based USCGC SPAR. A large crowd was on hand for its arrival. The laker will unload its Tilden fluxstone at CN-Hallett Dock 5 before shifting to Fraser Shipyards for inspection and repair.
ORIGINAL REPORT: After reviewing engineering assessments of the M/V Hon. James L. Oberstar, the Hay Lake Marine Casualty Unified Command (UC) with advisement from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT) from the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center determined that the vessel is structurally sound and fit to make the 28-hour transit from Carbide Dock to Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisc. Once the vessel arrives at the shipyard, a containment boom will be ready to deploy as needed.
“This incident is not complete until the vessel is safe and secure at Fraser Shipyard,” says U.S. Coast Guard Captain James Bendle, Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Hay Lake Marine Casualty Unified Command.
“Everyone supporting this response is highly focused on ensuring that personnel aboard and escorting the vessel are safe, that our waterways and wildlife are protected, and that any impacts to economic activity are mitigated.”
LOW TICKET ALERT: Registration Now
Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise
Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!
- When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
- Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
- Limit: 100 passengers
- Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
- General Adult Admission:
-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)
-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)
-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)
- Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
- Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
- Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.
This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.
If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.
Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.
