Ships are leaving Duluth with lighter loads than usual because of low water levels on the Great Lakes.
Ships have to float higher in the water to clear the bottom in shallow areas.
It takes more ships to carry the same tonnage of products like grain, coal and taconite ore. More ships may be good news for ship watchers, but bad news for ship owners, who get less money out of every load. You can also order a free copy of the booklet, which explains the reasons for the fluctuating water levels in the Great Lakes. THE BIG LAKE looks pretty much the same from Duluth. Park Point beaches are probably just a little broader, but hardly noticeably so.