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The University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Sadie Ann, a custom-built, hybrid-drive education and research vessel designed to expand access to Lake Superior and its vast watershed, has begun her voyage to Superior.
Departing Louisiana, Sadie Ann will round the Florida Keys and head north along the Atlantic Coast before beginning the second leg of her journey up the St. Lawrence River and into the Great Lakes.
During the Atlantic Ocean portion of the trip, Sadie Ann will be guided by three captains. A fourth captain will be added once she enters the St. Lawrence River to assist with navigating several locks.
Upon arriving in Superior, Sadie Ann will be docked at the Lake Superior Research Institute’s ballast water research facility at Montreal Pier.
The ship was designed by Incat Crowther and built by Midship Marine in Harvey, Louisiana. The 65-foot aluminum catamaran is 24-feet wide with a maximum capacity of 49 passengers. Sadie Ann features an innovative parallel, hybrid-drive propulsion system that is powered by two John Deere diesel engines, two Esco Power electric motors and an 86 kWh battery pack.
The main deck features fully equipped wet and dry research labs, a moon pool opening and fold-down diving platforms for sampling and analysis. A reinforced hull allows operation in light winter conditions, and the 4.6-foot draft allows Sadie Ann to operable in nearshore areas. A large classroom on the second deck with internet and communication technology provides a flexible educational space.
The vessel’s name, Sadie Ann, honors Sadie Ann Bashara Swenson, who attended UW-Superior in the early 1930s. Courageous in the face of life’s challenges and deeply committed to education and family, she was the mother of eight children.
Her son, Jim Swenson, founded the Swenson Family Foundation with his wife Sue. Another son, Bill Swenson, is a UW-Superior emeritus professor of biology and an associate of the Lake Superior Research Institute. Sadie Ann was made possible through the generous support of the Swenson Family Foundation, along with many other individuals and organizations.
Operated by the Lake Superior Research Institute at UW-Superior, Sadie Ann will be available to educators, researchers, organizations and businesses across the region and beyond.
Faculty from a range of disciplines at UW-Superior are incorporating Sadie Ann into their courses, giving students the opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences directly on Lake Superior – one of North America’s most ecologically diverse and culturally significant freshwater systems.
Updates on Sadie Ann and her voyage to the Twin Ports may be found at uwsuper.edu/SadieAnn.