Donald Earl Nelson

As a Charter Fishing Guide operating from the port of Duluth, I have had a few incidence were the temperory schedule has effected my ability to get my customers on and off the lake in a safe manor. Also, the inconsistentcy between bridge operators has made it difficult to know if I will get a lift or left waiting at the gate. The following are some examples. One Charter guide was refused a lift a 2.5 min. after 6:am even though there was no lift at 6:am . On a different day the Bridge stayed open for 8 min. past 1:pm to wait for the Vista Star to pass. When my customers show up at the dock a few minnutes late I find myself hurring to get them aboard and get under way when i should be breifing them on safety issues. Theres no need to have the bridge on a schedule befor 7:30 AM. Car traffic is not heavy at that time and it only takes 2 minnutes to let out a charter boat. At times this past summer, while waiting for a lift, there has been smaller vessels weaving through the waiting vessels at high rates of speed causing unsafe conditions on bothe sides of the bridge. I had one time when I left plenty of time to make the 11:30 am lift but I had one motor that started running bad and I had run the other at a very high RMP and out of sinc to make the lift as I had another group going out at 1:PM. Because we (charter Guides) were never givin a chance to voluntarlly adhere to a lift schedule,I would like to have a one year exemption to actually see the impact we have on the number of extra lifts and traffic.