Tugboat ‘Lake Superior’ Sinking In Duluth Harbor
The Tugboat named 'Lake Superior' was posted for sale in 2001 and it looks like it's having a typical Duluth Monday morning as it appears to be sinking into the harbor.
This rather tug boat has had quite the life. According to the for sale post, the tug boat was built in 1943 by Tampa Marine Corp. as the Major Emil H. Block (LT-18) for the U.S. Army. The tug was then transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1950 and renamed Lake Superior. Around 1995 the tug was retired from service and acquired by the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center of Duluth, Minnesota where it was used as a floating museum starting in 1996. In 2007 the tug was sold to Billington Contracting of Duluth, but it has remained inactive and was enjoying retirement in Duluth.
There is no word on why the tug boat is sinking, but the for sale post had it listed for $55,000. The tug had a fully furnished gallery and could fit 16 people. The tug was also equipped with a towing wench and 1200 feet of cable. It looks like the current owner was hoping a new owner could turn it into a bed & breakfast which would have been sweet.
Unfortunately it looks like good ole 'Lake Superior's' glory days are behind her as she slowly sinks into the harbor. Hopefully no one was hurt when the tug boat started sinking!
According to Bring Me The News, the U.S. Coast Guard is aware of this situation and investigators from the Marine Safety Unit Duluth are responding. In other shipping news, the Great Lakes Fleet is still for sale, which you can check out here.