Online shipping videos compel a visit to Duluth

Dave Heilman and Stephen Knight each made their first trip to Duluth last summer.

Heilman is from Delaware, Ohio. Knight is from Wales in the UK. Both were largely introduced to Great Lakes shipping through a YouTube channel, Vibe with Mike.

For decades, Heilman and his family have driven from their home in Ohio to Ontario, a route that took them at the Soo Locks and over the Mackinac Bridge.

“It was just a passing interest,” he said. “But now with YouTube, when I go to bed at night, I just start watching YouTube stuff. Well, I came across Boat Friends, Vibe with Mike.”

Heilman quickly became one of the boat friends.

“We chat sometimes, especially when he does a live stream,” he said. “While waiting for the ship to come in, he welcomes Boat Friends. And there is Carl from South Africa, there is Tom from Australia.”

Stephen from Wales may also be part of that list.

“I’ve always loved ships, ever since I was a little boy, because I was born in the north of England, near Manchester, which has its own shipping channel,” Knight said.

He was also hooked on Vibe with Mike. He said he thinks he’s seen every video Mike has posted.

“There’s an old connection between Manchester and Duluth,” Knight said, “because some of the Manchester lines used to go to Duluth.”

Eventually he got hold of Mike’s email.

“I said to him at one point, ‘Do you ever get visitors?’ And he said: ‘Yes, I get some from the US, but not many further afield.’ And I said, ‘Well, how would it be if I came to see you?'” Knight said. “And he picked himself up off the floor, I think.”

Then Mike suggested July.

“I have a sense of adventure. My kids thought I was crazy and was going to meet a guy I met on the Internet,” Knight said. “When I got to Duluth, I found it all pretty familiar because I had watched so many of Mike’s videos.”

The first ship he saw was the “PRT”, Paul R. Tregurtha. He toured Irvin, climbed the Enger Tower and enjoyed a pint or two near the Lift Bridge.

“And I learned what taconite was,” he said. “It is a form of iron ore. It is made of iron ore.”

He and Dave both appeared in Vibe with Mike videos after their visit.

“I still can’t get over the amount of people around the world who follow this, who are part of this community, the amount of friendships that have been made because of it. You know, you have good with that,” Mike said.

On Wednesday, another boating friend shares her story of watching ships and how it helped her move on after her husband’s death.