Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: March 12, 2026, 8:53 am Just when it looked like the ice and snow was going to be a non-factor.

Blizzard warning and a week of sub freezing temps.

Will be interesting what March 20 looks like.

oops March 25th is the date.

Just when it looked like the ice and snow was going to be a non-factor.

Blizzard warning and a week of sub freezing temps.

Will be interesting what March 20 looks like.

Guest wrote: March 5, 2026, 9:43 am Saw on Main Site page two ice breakers are down for repairs.

Wouldn't it make sense to wait until closer to the opening of the locks to be out there breaking ice? Weather looks like it will be moderating a bit so there should be some weakening occurring naturally. And use the Mackinaw instead of the smaller boats if you want to keep the water flowing now. Just wondering.

The icebreakers do preventative ice breaking at Mission Point to keep the Sugar Island ferry operational. Though there is an ice-boom in the channel, there are times when severe ice conditions will prevent operation of the ferry, and impede movements of tankers that make deliveries to Soo, Ontario.

Mackinaw is kept in the Straits of Mackinaw area. Back in the 1970s during the extended season program, the Mackinaw would be kept in the St. Marys river/Whitefish Bay area, while a Wind-class icebreaker (based out of Milwaukee) would be stationed in the Straits of Mackinaw.

Saw on Main Site page two ice breakers are down for repairs.

Wouldn't it make sense to wait until closer to the opening of the locks to be out there breaking ice? Weather looks like it will be moderating a bit so there should be some weakening occurring naturally. And use the Mackinaw instead of the smaller boats if you want to keep the water flowing now. Just wondering.

Just watched a Fox Weather report where their roving national reporter was on the beach at Two Harbors. You could hardly hear him speak due to the blizzard conditions he was in.

Guest wrote: January 24, 2026, 7:44 am Does the work at the shipyards or on the new lock ever stop when the temps get as low as they are forecasted to be over the next few days?

As far as I know, work does not stop due to temperature. They are working on the new lock 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A couple of the esstern most lock wall monoliths and foundations have been put in place. Foundations are being pored for the other lock wall monoliths.

Repair and inspection work are being done on the Poe Lock during the Winter, not sure about the MacArthur Lock, though.

As for the shipyards, they are working on the vessels despite the temperatures.

The Wilfred Sykes arrived in Milwaukee on January 24 in the early morning hours for Winter Lay Up. So, that’s one less Laker now that’s out running after the Soo Locks closing for the Winter on January 15. Basically it is like myself and others have said in previous posts. There are still 3 Algoma ships still operating with 2 of them here on the lakes running salt loads out from Goderich. CSL’s fleet just has the Nukumi only out hauling salt cargoes from Canada’s East Coast and unloading also at Eastern Canadian ports. Soon, CSL will have the Frontenac back out from their lay up in Port Colborne to load at least 2 salt cargoes intended for the Whitefish Bay. Other than what I have described and mentioned so far, it is mostly Canadian tankers and a few tugs and barges hauling various cargoes and a couple of foreign flagged tankers that are operating out of Sarnia this winter. The U.S. & Canadian Coast Guard have been kept extremely busy this Winter trying to keep the channels clear of any ice jams and build ups. This Winter they brought in the Canadian icebreakers Judy Lamarsh & Vincent Massey to help with the icebreaking job. Hope that my information has helped answer your question of who’s still out.

Does the work at the shipyards or on the new lock ever stop when the temps get as low as they are forecasted to be over the next few days?

Sykes is still going, dropping of coke from Detroit in Burns Harbor today and proceeding to layup in Milwaukee. And as far as I know Ice breakers are responsible for keeping their areas of operation clear, not matter the flag of the ship

Icebreaking on the Great Lakes is a binational joint venture regardless of which ships are running. Both US and Canadian icebreakers will assist whatever ships are running as needed. When all the locks are closed, the icebreakers will generally be focused on a few key areas with heavy ice buildup: the Straits of Mackinac and Round Island Passage (Grays Reef Passage and the South Channel are closed to navigation in winter), the St. Mary’s River when tankers visit the Soo, Green Bay (until the port of Green Bay closes and ships stop calling on Sturgeon Bay/Escanaba), St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair/Detroit River, and Lake Erie, particularly the west end.

I can only answer your question of “What boats are still out and working right now?” To answer that question for you, there isn’t very many left that are out and still operating as most everything is all in lay up now for the Winter. You can check the Winter Lay Up list here on Boatnerd’s website to see the list and also see what ships are laid up and which ones are still out there and operating yet. I will give you the list anyway as best as I have it and can remember it for you. Algoma has 3 out 2 here in the lakes, Algoma Intrepid and Algoma Niagara are hauling salt out of Goderich to ports on Lake Michigan mostly and will continue that trade for quite a while. The Algoma Conveyor is running ore loads from Port Cartier, QC. to Contrecoeur,QC. for the Winter months. CSL has their Nukumi hauling salt loads on Canada’s East Coast to ports on Canada’s East Coast. The Frontenac which laid up over in Port Colborne on January 15 will be back out again to do two salt loads that were to be handled by the Whitefish Bay. That ship, the Whitefish Bay had some damage done after striking the salt dock in Windsor on Monday of this week thus, they never loaded and proceeded to Sarnia for lay up to where they are currently. Algoma and Desgagnes both have some of their tankers out and sailing with a few Algoma tankers here while there are some laid up in Montreal and one working Canada’s East Coast. The Desgagnes tankers are scattered about in Canada’s East Coast, Montreal and a few trading in Europe for the Winter months. Andrie has two tugs and tank barges in Lake Michigan working over there. McAsphalt has one tug and barge working in and out of Detroit-Windsor this Winter. There are two foreign flag tankers working this winter both hauling cargoes out of Sarnia. The Iver Bright goes from Sarnia to Detroit and back and sometimes will go to Monroe or up to Bay City then from Sarnia. Another foreign tanker the Baltic has been carrying loads so far from Sarnia to Green Bay this Winter. That’s basically about it as far as ships still out there and who’s still operating. Hope this information has helped out.

Couple of questions -
What boats are still out working?
If the bulk of the US flag fleet is no longer operating, does the USCG still provide ice breaking operations for the Canadians?
Would they bother to keep channels open unless there was a flooding concern?

Thanks in advance