Gales of November Conference
Ice Puddle
Originally uploaded by Lady Birchwood. We attended the Gales of November conference in Duluth, Minnesota on Saturday. The Gales of November was founded by Elmer Engman, a diver of Lake Superior and the world's oceans, in 1987. He started the Gales of November for divers and it has grown into an event that encompasses dive clubs, universities, shipwreck preservation societies, history buffs and everyone who loves the lore of the lakes. Neither my husband and I are divers and will never be, but we are members of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society and we both love that magnificent lake!
We got up to Duluth about 9:45 Saturday morning and missed the first speaker of the day but made it in time to hear Fred Stonehouse speak. Mr. Stonehouse has written about 30 books on maritime history, including extensively researched volumes on the sinking of the ore carrier, The Edmund Fitzgerald, which sunk on this day in 1975. His presentation was entitled, “Pirates, Plots and Mayhem: The Civil War on the Great Lakes.” I learned one fascinating bit of history, which ties in to my line of work. Bioterrorism has been around for a long time! A physician whose allegiance was to the Confederacy hoped to bring down the Union by starting a yellow fever epidemic. He worked with yellow fever patients and packaged up their sweat-soaked bed linens and clothing and mailed them here and there in the Union. The plot didn’t work since yellow fever is spread by mosquito bites and not sweat, but nonetheless, it was a diabolical plan. The plot was uncovered in April 1985, and Dr. Backburn was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, but he remained in Canada and was never prosecuted. Sometime later, he returned to the United States and became the governor of Kentucky from 1879-1883! Inscribed on his tombstone is “The Good Samaritan!”
Some other noteworthy items from the weekend:
- I learned that I actually can get out of bed at 5:45 on a Saturday morning and be out the door by 7:15. This is rare and unusual behavior for me!
- I learned some tidbits about catching herring - and also that one must have some weird Nordic genes to consider this a rewarding line of work.
- I learned a whole lot about the design and history of whaleback ships.
- I learned that my husband is a Whaleback Wacko! He stood up and admitted this in front of about 50 people attending the seminar on whaleback ships.
- Minnesota has a new novelist, Jenifer LeClair, who combines her love of ships and sleuthing in her first novel, “Rigged for Murder.” I bought a copy and she signed it for me.
- I became aware of diving etiquette around shipwrecks, namely, take nothing but pictures and respect the site.
- Three intermediate level sukoku puzzles can keep me entertained on the ride between St. Paul and Duluth.
- Siscowets are also known as “fat trout” and live way, way down in the depths of Lake Superior.
- 27 of the United States are at least in part north of the southernmost border of Ontario, Canada.
- The oldest operational freight ship in the world is the SS St. Mary’s Challenger. S he has been in operation now for 102 years.
- I actually can go to Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors and not order the John Beargrease burger. I had the spicey chicken wrap instead that also has that wonderful chipotle mayo on it. And I didn’t order pie!