78-Foot Schooner Huron Jewel in Duluth Through Monday

The schooner will be docked behind the DECC throughout the day on Monday for free tours.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Huron Jewel is traveling around the Great Lakes this summer and stopped in the Twin Ports docking behind the DECC.

Normally the Huron Jewel takes people on day trips and charters on Lake Huron, however, COVID-19 didn’t allow for that to happen this summer.

It was then that the Huron Jewel’s owners decided to take her around and share the schooner with others.

“Building a schooner was a dream, we built it, we want to share it so that’s why we’re here,” said Julie Covert, an owner of the schooner.

Covert is first mate, part owner, part builder, and wife of the captain on the Huron Jewel.

As their normal summer work was put on hold due to the pandemic, they trained a crew and went for an adventure.

“We decided you know what let’s go sailing let’s take the schooner around the great lakes bring a tall ship to people’s backyards put a smile on their face,” says Covert.

The crew will be giving free tours of the boat and answer any questions people have about life on a real tall ship.

Normally, hosting tall ships can cost the city thousands of dollars, but this is all part of a goodwill mission by the owners of the schooner.

The city only has to pay a small amount for docking fees to have the vessel in town.

“We are so fortunate to be the beneficiary of their generosity and to have a gift like this just appear and give us the opportunity to share it with our visitors and with our local residents is just a bonus,” said Anna Tanski, the president and CEO of Visit Duluth.

Onlookers were down at the DECC to see the ship come in on Sunday evening.

One family took the opportunity to ask the crew all about being out on the water.

“Especially this summer anything we can do outside and enjoy the beautiful nature and all that we have surrounding us is a good thing and anytime they have a chance to learn something new we try to capitalize on that as well when we can,” said Peter and Kristin Cpin, who were there with their children.

One member of the crew is a deckhand who had never sailed before this summer.

She’s headed back to college in the fall and says she will be taking with her so many lessons.

“Overall it’s been really great a lot of adventure a lot of working hard getting mariner muscles this summer and just a really great experience. It’s been hard work but it’s been good work,” said Hannah McAleer, a deckhand on the Huron Jewel.

Sunday, the boat sailed through some of the strong storms that traveled through the Northland giving the crew a test of 30-knot winds.

However, all the hard work is worth it for the love of sailing.

“Being out on the water is just so tranquil and relaxing when you’re not in 30 kt winds and three or four-foot waves,” says Covert.

The schooner will be docked behind the DECC throughout the day on Monday for people to see her and learn all about what it takes to be on the crew.

Though the tours are free, donations are still accepted.