Wind Complicates Ice

Yesterday's high winds seriously complicated efforts to ease the burden of an ice-covered Lake Erie.

After warm temperatures over the past few days had moved the ice off-shore and weakened it, the wind gusts of 40 miles per hour or more on Tuesday moved most of the ice to the south shore again, clogging up the approaches to harbors and making the movement of commercial traffic harder.

Currently, the USCGC BRISTOL BAY is working on Lake Erie to assist shipping. Yesterday the vessel was working with the CANADIAN ENTERPRISE on its trip across the Lake.

Ice continues to pose problems on Lake Erie

Ice on the eastern end of Lake Erie is continuing to give commercial shipping problems, and is an ongoing headache for both the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards. Overnight, two ships, the CANADIAN ENTERPRISE, bound for Conneaut, Ohio to load coal, and the CEDARGLEN, bound for Ashtabula to unload titanium slag, became stuck in ice off of Erie. Both vessels remained there throughout the night, requiring the assistance of U.S. Coast Guard cutter NEAH BAY to get underway this morning.

Yesterday, the Rt. Hon. PAUL J. MARTIN became stuck off of Long Point and required assistance from NEAH BAY all the way to Ashtabula.

Although this year's ice cover on Lake Erie is worse than normal, the conditions are nothing in comparison to Lake Superior, where the Canadian Coast Guard Cutter SAMUEL RISLEY and U.S. cutters MACKINAW, BISCAYNE BAY, and KATMAI BAY, along with private tug companies, are struggling to keep the St. Mary's River and Soo Locks open to commercial traffic, and keep ships moving through windrows of ice reported to be up to six feet thick in places.

Warm Weather Melting Ice

Warm temperatures on Tuesday made quick work of the ice remaining on the eastern end of the bay. As of early afternoon the ice is melting quickly and open water is now once again visible on Presque Isle Bay. The ice should pose no problem when the CASON J. CALLAWAY leaves winter layup later this week.

The melting ice has made it easier for vessels shuttling coal across Lake Erie, as well. Over the weekend the CANADIAN TRANSPORT, CANADIAN ENTERPRISE, and Rt. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN were becoming stuck frequently in ice on Lake Erie.

Ships Beginning to Run

Winter layup is almost over and it won't be long before the four vessels spending the winter under repair in Erie will be leaving.

On the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, CANADIAN TRANSPORT, CANADIAN ENTERPRISE, Rt. HON. PAUL J. MARTIN, and several chemical tankers are running. The ENTERPRISE, TRANSPORT, and MARTIN are all running coal from the nearby ports of Conneaut and Ashtabula to Nanticoke, Ontario. On the American side, the cement carrier ALPENA and a few tug-barge combinations hauling cement or petroleum products are in operation, with the 1000-footer MESABI MINER due to begin hauling coal from Superior, WI to Marquette, MI this weekend before the Soo Locks open on March 25.

As I've written, both CASON J. CALLAWAY and MICHIPICOTEN should leave late next week. The PRESQUE ISLE should leave a few days later.