In this morning's email -

>Dan Urbanski wrote...
It was a quiet but snowy evening when I set out to do some photos for the US Army Corps Of Engineers. Conditions were comfortable for me, but a little soft for them. Anyway, I was lucky enough to catch the light as it came around. Truly a lonely sentinel blinking for no one at this time of year... Regards, Dan

I have a friend who is an oiler on a Great Lakes Freighter, and he has to be in Chicago on Saturday to go on one last trip. Don't know if he is going to Duluth or what, but he indicated that this would be the last for him until spring.

Beautiful...a WOW I hope!

Have some freinds that sail out of Rogers City. I think the season depends on the weather, some seasons being longer than others. Hope they get off the lake early. Sure wouldnt want to take a swim at this time of year!

Nice lighthouse picture. It's like looking out into the unknown where the shipwreck ghosts are lurking in the fog. I'm a lighthouse nut, especially the one's on Lake Superior.

When you mentioned "the last thing" you saw before falling into bed, it gave me a thrill-chill memory of this summer... Waking in the middle of the night and looking out the window of the motel in Copper Harbor and seeing those friendly yellow freighter lights way out on the horizon!

God bless and take care of those great people who work so hard out on that mighty lake.

Had a similar experience about 10 years ago one cold winter's night at Eagle River. Woke up to see an up-bound Laker headed right towards the full moon. It would have made a beautiful picture if one would have been warned ahead time to setup for a time exposure in near zero weather. In the good old days when we made all our own steel, the Iron Ranges were booming, and the Lakers were smaller, it was routine to be able to see 8 or more boats off Eagle River. On a clear night, the deck lights was quite a sight. During foggy conditions, it was an experience to hear the boats blowing and the Eagle Harbor fog horn. Haunting best describes it.

I am happy as can be because I have found out I still have family up there and to you's guys keep the email coming, bruce and jack, tell me everything you know.

What lighthouse is that???

That light house is at the end of the break water in Ontonogan. It can also be seen in the Nov. 21st entery I believe.

Great photo Dan,
Only 6 miles from the Z-Man. The fog horn on this baby keeps me with-in distance,to return up the river while I'm out fishing in the fog.

The Z-Man

In '59 we laid up the Henry R. Platt Jr. for the Gartland Steamship Co. in Superior, WI on Dec 24. I thought it was a long season at the time. We hauled many different cargoes. Grain, coal, iron ore, iron ore pellets, even a boatload of bat guano. A whole boatload! It went to a fertilizer factory. It was hard to get a job in '59, there was a steel strike going on.

Great Pic. We went to the North Shore in MN for 3 days this week. Lots of rollers there and we were able to watch the ships going from and to Two Harbors for 3 days. Some looked like they were floating in the air with the cold mist on the lake. Watched the Bridge go up and down in the Duluth Harbor to let the ships in and out from high atop the Medical Arts Bldg. Also got some good shots of the frozen waterfalls at Gooseberry Falls to add to my winter Lake Superior shots.
But glad to be back home even with all the snow

Miriam, why don't you add some of your pictures on here? Would like to see them on here. Glad you are home safely.

I'd sure hate to have to climb that outside ladder at this time of year. The rungs must be solid ice! And what do you hang on to when you're trying to go through the door? Tough guys, those lighthouse keepers.

hey lets hope they cleaned the bin out good after hauling the bat goug on the henry platt jr boat.i hope they didnt put an wheat in there after.

It's great to see pictures of home like this one. We are still in the 80's. I could a inch or two of the white stuff.

Betty, AZ was going to but just haven't figured out how to get them to this site from webtv. that's my next lesson. Next trip is to Troll Land to visit the boys. Will wave uptown in RO and hope your Mom sees me. LOL

As I write this a freighter has been hove to in Keeweenaw Bay for the last 24 hrs. No storm conditions exist for the boat to seek santuary in the Bay. Perhaps she has engine problems. She sure is pretty all lit up at night.

Yeah, Z, that fog follows me around too! Notice the new improved breakwater design...not much improvement in wave action, but they're a real Walleye parking area.