The Women of Lake Superior

By Andrea Busche

Themajesty of Lake Superior is evident to all who live, work, or recreate near her shores. While the beauty and power of the Big Lake is obvious, many people don’t often stop to consider just how many vital industries are intertwined with life near such an important port, and what their employees do on a daily basis.

And, if we … ahem … dive a little deeper, we learn that many women are working in a variety of important and powerful roles within the many facets of the maritime industry. From leadership roles at the Seaway Port Authority to high-ranking positions within the U.S. Coast Guard and even engineering on a large vessel, women are blazing new trails on, and near, Lake Superior.

Kate Ferguson and Deb DeLuca – Seaway Port Authority

Kate Ferguson and Deb DeLuca are among the top brass at Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Ferguson works as director of trade and business development, while DeLuca is its executive director. DeLuca explained a bit about our region’s important port.

“We are a unique, two-state, two-city port, with 20 terminals, or docks,” she said. “The majority of the tonnage is bulk cargo, such as iron ore pellets, grain and limestone.”

DeLuca explained that our port links together several segments of transportation, including road, rail, and ship.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority’s mission is multi-faceted: to bring business to the port; to bring economic development to the region; and to advocate for maritime transportation and the industries they serve. Part of Ferguson’s job is to educate people on the importance of our waterway, including transportation options available to businesses, along with advocacy and public relations for the port.

“We help people understand the importance of the port, our waterway, and the fact that we are a hub with global reach. I love to teach people about the importance of the Great Lakes,” Ferguson said.

Women are quickly becoming more well-known for their leadership within this industry. DeLuca said that, as of 2018, when she took over her role as executive director, out of 83 port authorities that are members of the American Association of Port Authorities, 14 had women at the helm.

Katrina Walheim – Permanent first assistant engineer on the steamship Philip R. Clarke

Katrina Walheim, of Traverse City, Mich., has an incredibly unique perspective of the maritime industry. Her profession has her working from some of Lake Superior’s largest vessels, usually for two to three months at a time.

“Right now, I am permanent first assistant engineer on the steamship Philip R. Clarke,” she said, “which is the second

Continued on page 22 highest engineer on the vessel. I am currently in the process of upgrading to my chief engineer’s license, which is the highest position in the engine room. I have my unlimited steam and diesel license, so I can sail on a vessel of any size with either type of propulsion.”

Walheim has sailed on a variety of vessels throughout her career.

“I have been on both steam and diesel ships,” she noted. “I was on the USNS Impeccable on the oceans. I have also sailed with American Steamship Company on the American Mariner, the American Integrity, and the Indiana Harbor. As far as Great Lakes Fleet vessels, I have sailed on the Cason J. Callaway, the Edwin H. Gott, the Edgar B. Speer, and the Presque Isle.”

Walheim explained a bit about her interesting job.

“My whole job is to maintain and operate the plant and the equipment on the vessel. What I love about my job is that it varies on a day-to-day basis, and you never know what’s going to happen, or break, so you have to be very versatile. One day I can spend my time on the open lake just doing lake rounds and working on simple fabricating or welding projects in the engine room. Another day, I can be maneuvering in a river system. And then the next day, I could be working outside on a deck winch or assisting with repairs to the unloading system. It’s all very hands-on and you can’t be afraid to get dirty. As engineers aboard the vessel, we are pretty much considered ‘Jacks of all trades.’ Boiler water testing, electrical troubleshooting, welding, fabricating, plumbing, operating and diagnosing engine room, galley, and deck equipment are just a few of the things that I have to do on a daily basis.”

When it comes to other women in her field, Walheim said that even though women in the industry are becoming more prevalent, there are still very few.

“In my company there are only about three permanent license female officers,” she said. “There are quite a few cooks and second cooks who are female, though. It is not uncommon to be the only girl on the boat at a time. I am lucky, though, because on my ship, the first mate is a female and she is also the relief captain on our boat so there’s usually the two of us on board at a time.”

It can be difficult to maintain a work-life balance with a career out on the Lake.

“The first few years of sailing are especially difficult,” she said. “I’ve been sailing for eight years now, so every year it gets a little easier. My friends and family understand that I’m not home all the time, but it has been hard on friendships and relationships. The ships have Wi-Fi, though, so I can usually text or send emails at all times.”

“I’m not married and I don’t have any children or pets, so the sailing life isn’t too bad for me. I think if I was to have children, I would probably stop sailing and find some kind of shore side job within the same kind of field.”

Life on the Big Lake is an exciting life, indeed.

“I’m not a ‘sit behind a desk’ kind of worker, so I enjoy the fact that I get to work on new things every day,” Walheim said. “Even if it’s something I’ve worked on before, it might be a different problem, so it’s always kind of new, which is challenging in itself. The different scenery on the lakes is also beautiful (even in the winter time!), so you can’t really beat that.”

Commander Fran Smith – United States Coast Guard

Fran Smith is commanding officer of Marine Safety UnitDuluth. She holds several Coast Guard authorities, including captain of the port, officer in charge of marine inspection, federal maritime security coordinator, and federal on-scene coordinator. In a nutshell, she is responsible for the safety, security and environmental protections of western Lake Superior.

Commander Smith works closely with other entities to accomplish her duties, including the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, a variety of terminals/docks, and the Duluth Fire and Police departments.

“Our staff does a lot of regulatory and compliance type of work, such as annual and semi-annual inspections, to ensure vessels are well-maintained in the areas of safety and crew competency,” she said. uwsuper.edu/ourhive

Smith’s duties are typically contained to office-type work, so her job is done from shore, rather than out on the lake.

Smith manages a staff of 23, including those enlisted in active duty, reservists and civilians. Of her staff, 26 percent are women.

Smith, a native of St. Louis, Mo., has been enlisted with the Coast Guard for 20 years. She has been working in Duluth for six months, and her three-year tour will end in 2022. D Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.