North Shore Trip – Fall 2012 – Former USCGC Sundew WLB 404, originally uploaded by pmarkham.

Those that know me well know that one of my frequent subjects for photos is ships and boats. I’m fascinated by them. This particular ship is a favorite of mine. It is the former USCGC Sundew, a light ice breaker and buoy tender that served the USCG for almost 60 years before it was retired and replaced by the USCGC Alder.

Sundew was built in Duluth and had its final home port be Duluth as well. After being retired, it was given to the city of Duluth to be used as a museum ship, which lasted only five years. After that, the city sold the vessel to a local man named Jeff Foster, who now uses it as his personal pleasure boat. Some pleasure boat, huh?