James R. Barker - One Final Load... and One Final Bark... for the Season

Here is the James R. Barker departing Duluth, Minnesota just before midnight on January 12, 2025. She had taken on a load of taconite at the Canadian National dock in West Duluth for delivery to Cleveland. After unloading, the Barker would then make her way over to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for winter layup. The video starts at Rice's Point, where I was barely able to catch her as she passed under the John A. Blatnik bridge. The tugboat North Carolina was on hand to help with ice breaking at Rice's Point. I then relocated to Canal Park to watch her make the big turn towards the shipping canal before making her way onto Lake Superior.
The Barker gave us a traditional captain's salute on her way out, with the Aerial Lift Bridge responding similarly. This wasn't the typical dual-horn salute we commonly hear from the Barker. Either the second horn was frozen for this departure... or the captain decided to make it a quieter salute, given that it was only a few minutes before midnight. Either way, the salute was appreciated. If anything, it's interesting to hear a single horn salute from the Barker. That single horn had a very "breathy" quality to it that was cool to hear on its own.
I was a little surprised that there was only 2-3 of us on hand to watch her departure. But after a cold and windy day, I guess nobody was feeling all that enthused about bundling up and going out into the cold again. I admit I had to psyche myself up a bit to leave the comfort of my hotel room... but then again, capturing the boats is the reason I visit Duluth in the first place... so I had no excuse for missing this departure! As always, I'm glad I made the effort. The night lighting, with the city lights reflecting off of the clouds, made for a very atmospheric setting.
The James R. Barker is 1004 feet in length and was built in 1976 by the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio. According to the Boatnerd website, she is powered by "two 8,000 bhp V-16 cylinder, four stroke cycle, single acting, turbocharged Colt-Pielstick PC2V diesel engines, built by Fairbanks Morse Engine Division of Colt Industries, Beloit, WI driving through a Falk reversing gear box to two Bird-Johnson controllable pitch, stainless steel, four bladed propellers seventeen feet, six inches in diameter." She has a cargo capacity of 63,300 tons. She has the distinction of being the first self-contained 1000-footer to be built with the entire superstructure at the aft end of the vessel. This design would be the model for the remaining 1000-footers to be built for Great Lakes service.
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[@hawkeyeten2450]

From what I saw online, the Barker temporarily got stuck in thick ice a few miles from the Cleveland port for several hours, and needed help from the Coast Guard or tugs to get it into the harbor (and there's currently a Canadian freighter actually stuck out on Lake Erie right now). I bet the crew is VERY relieved this season's wrapped up!

[@1Long2Short]

Yes, the headaches only multiply the longer they try to run!

[@jstoli996c4s]

From what one of my Buffalo local friends said, Lake Erie is at least 80% frozen… seriously wth are the shipping companies thinking?? Of course this was going to happen, to several ships 🙄 🤦‍♂️

[@Detect-Oregon]

Wonderful, transforms my current coastal Oregon life now into the days of my youth and the nostalgia of time spent with my Father and as a boy/teenager in “The tip of the Thumb” and all surrounding ports of call all around in Michigan and Minnesota. Makes life feel now if only for a few moments like the simplicity of what once was. Many thanks!

[@1Long2Short]

Glad it brings back some memories! Thanks for watching!

[@jeffdayman8183]

The water was looking and sounding pretty crispy as the Barker passed by. Great video and of course the salute was great , if not the usual full bore Barker Bark...8^) Cheers!

[@1Long2Short]

It was a pretty crispy kind of night!

[@dianebeier8379]

Very nice vid and a loooong ship she is! Lots of ice cracking going on, needs to end the season!😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@1Long2Short]

Season is now over… on Lake Superior at least. But there are lots more videos to come. 😉

[@oceansoul3694]

This is a wonderful ending to the shipping season, cold and dark and ice and the wonderfully gruff salute, "It's cold, I'm tired, leave me alone" kind of growl. I'm so glad you have lots more videos, we'll need them until March! Keep Warm

[@1Long2Short]

Stay tuned, we have at least five more endings to come! 😁 It’s like a bad horror movie. 😆

[@oceansoul3694]

@@1Long2Short HAHAHAHAA!

[@CathyLahr]

Great video of the Barker, thanks for sharing. Enjoy the off season.❤❤

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! 😊

[@g5flyr169]

Beautiful work 1L2S. Dramatic lighting and perspective… nice way to end the Barker’s season.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! We got some nice light reflecting off of the low clouds for this one. 🙂

[@bluehouse2112]

I’m still amazed that such huge vessels appear to glide up the channel. What a beautifully shot & edited vid.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! 😊

[@waltersims493]

Deb…LOVED the close up shots of the bow coming forward with the smoke/steam (?) billowing out. Great vid. Thank you.

[@1Long2Short]

Thanks as always Deb!

[@gluhves]

dear god how beautiful these final runs are for the 1000 footers, im usually a sucker for forward superstructure lakers, but these are just too good to ignore

[@ojlott]

Wonderful, as usual. Thanks for your dedication braving the freezing weather and inconvenient shipping schedules.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! It’s worth braving the cold to share these videos with everyone. 🙂

[@alexh327]

Beautiful job 1 Long 2 Short! You are my favorit! Thank you so much!

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you Alex! Appreciate your support! 🙂

[@jaynorris3722]

See you in the spring.😊

[@1Long2Short]

Don’t go away too far… lots more videos to come! 🙂

[@greggorjk8100]

Stay frosty my friends

[@ellenhalpern1882]

Thanks for a great season

[@1Long2Short]

Stay tuned, much more to come! 😉

[@ih82r8]

Really beautifully filmed!!!! Great shots and I love the radio calls added. Only sad it wasn't the full horn, but I guess we have to wait until spring.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! 😊

[@littlelittledeer1435]

Thank you. Very interesting!

[@maryannpost8146]

Wow! You can really hear that ice crunching!

[@Bobbyo60]

So we lose the “Barker Bark” for the winter….can’t wait for spring!!!

[@1Long2Short]

You might hear it again before the season opens. 😁

[@gregmctevia5087]

Man, I love that stuff. Very, very well done.

[@1Long2Short]

Thanks Greg! This was the last night video of the season for me, but we still have some daylight ones ahead. 😉

[@gregmctevia5087]

@1Long2Short Well, ill take whatever I can get.🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@kayelane5868]

Beautiful! Especially those last few seconds, so peaceful with the water gently sounding on the shoreline as the ship glides away heading to Sturgeon Bay. Not sure what it was, but around the 6:55 mark, it looked like several shooting stars in the upper right of the shot.

[@1Long2Short]

Thank you! I always try to get a nice shot to end on, if I can. The things that look like shooting stars (meteors) are most likely bits of snow or ice falling from the bridge and zooming through the lights that illuminate the bridge. (It had snowed earlier in the day.) Occasionally seagulls flying through the light beams will also look like meteors. It’s fooled a lot of people who watch the bridge webcam… though, of course, there is the occasional real meteor too. 🙂

[@cris_261]

Barker crewman: Hey love, we just got done with the shipping season, come and get me Wife: Oh that's great news! The kids'll be so happy to see their dad. So where did you end up? Barker crewman: Wisconsin! Wife: Hey kids, roadtrip time!

[@1Long2Short]

Nothing wrong with a road trip to Wisconsin. You can stock up on cheese and fireworks while here. 😁

[@cris_261]

@@1Long2Short mmmmm.... cheese.... and fireworks! 🧀 🎆

[@oceansoul3694]

@@1Long2Short the things you know mystify me!

[@HistoryRocksMuse]

very nice - my fav vessel. when does new season begin? Cheers from south Lake Erie

[@1Long2Short]

Thanks! Soo Locks are scheduled to reopen March 25. But I still have lots of videos to share between now and then. 😉

[@CjbrkBrooks]

What a beautiful sight at night.

[@tuxedotservo]

Less of a bark... more of an under breath woof.

[@debbiemoffat7723]

I watched this from a very hot and sunny Warwick Queensland Australia.

[@osptony]

Who are you and what have you done with the real Barking Barker?

[@Coxxy_Ray_of_Sunshineee]

The relief captain doesn’t like to bark as long, I guess lol

[@morticiaaddams7866]

Wow! You've got some serious cameras!

[@1Long2Short]

Just one camera. 🙂

[@harryscott9533]

🤓🙋‍♂️❤👍

[@1Long2Short]

😁👍

[@harryscott9533]

@1Long2Short ❤👍