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Subject: Duluth foghorn story From: blbeast@bucky.win.bright.net Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 00:36:34 -0600 Message-ID: blbeast-2206960036340001@bru-cs-3.win.bright.net The Duluth foghorn... I love it! We just visited there on the day before summer began (the 19th) and had been enjoying the Lakewalk and Canal Park area. It was a cool, cloudy, (but non-foggy) day, only 60 degrees. We took the kids to the new Omnimax theatre and when we came out, (about 4:30 in the afternoon) the fog had rolled in, and the foghorn was ON! I had been wanting and waiting to hear it ever since I had read about it being restored, but had always seemed to be visiting when it was sunny. As we walked towards the lighthouse, the fog lifted and the foghorn was off again before we got close enough for a good listen. Fortunately, (for me) while we were waiting to watch a ship leave port, the fog started moving in again. My wife and I took off for the lighthouse on the north side of the ship canal. This is the lighthouse that is part of the Canal Park Museum area and is directly across from the foghorn-equipped lighthouse on the south side. Just as we were nearing the end of our journey, we heard the warning bell go off that signals the imminent blast of the foghorn. (I knew what the bell meant because we had walked over to the south lighthouse on a previous trip, and read a sign explaining what the bell was for, and warning everyone to stay at least 30 feet back from the front of the lighthouse or risk hearing damage! ) There were few people about at this moment and the fog had gotten so thick as to hide the shore from our view. Even the massive lift bridge had disappeared. There were, however, a couple with their two children (about 12 years old) standing on the viewing area that we were headed for. The warning bell had been sounding and we reached our destination with scant seconds to spare. In those few seconds before the foghorn would blast, I became aware that these innocent people had no idea of what was about to occur. For a fleeting moment I considered warning them, but time ran out. Wham! The foghorn spoke and those two kids hit the deck so fast, you wouldn't believe it! Because I had been about to enlighten them of what was going to happen (if I had had the time) I was looking right at them and had the honor of observing this intense reaction to an unique sound. In a millisecond, they were back up and laughing madly as the realized what had happened, so there was no permanent damage done. I'm sure they will always remember their close encounter with what has got to be a wonderful addition to the Duluth experience. My wife and I stood listening for many minutes, almost enclosed in fog, as every sixty seconds, the foghorn spoke, "I am here!, where are you?" I love the Duluth foghorn, may it live forever.
Greg Meier,"The Original Blue Hills Beast" |