Safe Haven from Wild Winds and Waves

Safe Haven from Wild Winds and Waves. . , Storms can quickly and unpredictably pose dangerous threats to small and large vessels on Lake Superior. McQuade Small Craft Harbor offers lake access and a safe haven for boaters and anglers along the shoreline between Duluth-Superior Harbor and Knife River Marina. , The breakwater's arms hug the harbor's waters to protect small crafts , waves inside the harbor won't rise more than one foot, despite rough conditions on the open lake. , McQuade Harbor's breakwater is lower and broader than those of many traditional commercial harbors, assuring a scenic view of the Lake., McQuade Small Craft Harbor, Completed 2008 , In 2009, the harbor's innovative design and engineering, safety features, and accessibility received a Large Access Outstanding Project Award from the States Organization for Boating Access. , [photo and illustration captions] , • High Waves Smack McQuade's Fishing Pier , • Constructing the Harbor

Construction crews used a great deal of recycled rock, including some from the Silver Cliff Tunnel east of Two Harbors. Low-grade taconite from the Iron Range also went ii the breakwater.

, • Rock blasted to create the harbor lines the harbor basin as riprap and forms an acre of new hind. , • As heavy as 32 tons each, armor stones on the breakwater's Lake Superior side resist wave forces. , • The breakwater's long arm takes shape. , These facilities are a collaborative effort of the Minnesota DNR, the McQuade Public Access Committee, St. Louis County, the City of Duluth, Duluth and Lakewood Townships, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. , Interpretive panels funded in part by the Coastal Zone Management Act and NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, in cooperation with Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program.