The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Massive Lake Superior waves could rival largest ever recorded
Lake Superior is currently experiencing a major winter storm with a storm warning in effect, heavy snow, strong winds, and heavy freezing spray warnings. Waves are forecast to build to dangerous levels, potentially reaching near 30 feet in some areas
The forecast calls for waves approaching 28 feet on Lake Superior by Monday morning. The largest waves ever recorded on the Great Lakes were 28.8 feet. Those were measured in Lake Superior between Marquette and Munising on Oct. 24, 2017. The wave heights are expected to be greatest off the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, MI.
For comparison, the National Weather Service models have said the Lake Superior waves on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975 were in the range of 25+ feet.
Wind gusts could reach 58 mph over Lake Michigan with waves topping 18 feet, and up to 70 mph over Lake Superior, the NWS said. Lake Huron could see wind gusts to 54 mph and waves up to 26 feet.
Lake Erie may experience a seiche on Monday. This is a water event when winds push the lake’s water from one end to the other, like water sloshing in a bathtub. Gusts over Lake Erie could reach 70 mph and waves could reach 17 feet.
Heavy freezing spray is also forecast for the Great Lakes over the next several days. This spray can ice-over freighters and other vessels, making travel dangerous.
Due to forecasted blizzard conditions and high winds, all boat trips to Mackinac Island are cancelled for Monday, according to a Facebook post from the Arnold Transit Co. The same goes for Washington Island ferry service.
On the St. Marys River, Dirk S. VanEnkevort/barge Michigan Trader anchored in Goulais Bay, on the Canadian side above the Soo Locks early Sunday evening. Mesabi Miner joined them mid-evening, followed by Stewart J, Cort and tug Wilfred M. Cohen and her barge. Algoma Harvester anchored in Potaganissing Bay above DeTour. Algoma Endeavour dopped the anchor there later in the evening.
Wilfred Sykes, Ashtabula/barge Defiance, John J. Boland and Algoma Buffalo were sheltering in Moran Bay, near St. Ignace. Great Republic, John G. Munson, Edgar B. Speer and Burns Harbor were anchored just west of Port Inland, on the northern tip of Lake Michigan.
Indiana Harbor was stopped offshore just north of Manitowoc, WI.
[NWS, MLive – Tanda Gmiter, Marine Traffic]
Seaway traffic resumes at Montreal
Vessel traffic in the vicinity of Montreal resumed Sunday night after the saltwater vessel Federal Churchill was able to depart the St. Lambert Lock. While attempting to exit the lock around 7 a.m. Sunday, the vessel was stopped by ice. At least a dozen ships, moving in both directions, were delayed, including Atlantic Huron, which is on her final voyage before scrapping.
Port of call: Buffalo lands first Great Lakes cruise ship
Buffalo, N.Y. – All Patrick Kaler from Visit Buffalo has to do to sell people on why it is so important to the region’s tourism industry – and local economy – to have Buffalo as an active Great Lakes cruise ship port is just look at the other end of Lake Erie.
Cleveland welcomed more than 8,000 Great Lakes cruise ship passengers this year and they left behind an economic impact that was well north of $6 million. “This is a great regional opportunity,” said Kaler, Visit Buffalo president and CEO.
Buffalo will welcome its first Great Lakes cruise ship on May 27 when the 250-passenger American Cruise Lines ship American Patriot pulls into the Erie Basin Marina for an eight-hour stopover.
The ship’s arrival will be a seminal moment for the region’s tourism industry and end a long quest to have Buffalo become a permanent Great Lakes cruise ship port.
In the tourism equivalent of a shakedown cruise, Buffalo will host four Great Lakes passenger ship calls during the summer of 2026.
The following year, 2027, should be considerably more active with six cruise lines including Buffalo as one of its stopover ports. Some will be eight hour day trips, others will be overnight stays.
“Our goal is to give the passengers a great Buffalo experience,” Kaler said.
By 2027, the passenger-friendly Great Lakes port along Buffalo’s Outer Harbor will be developed and ready to go.
Don’t under estimate the economic impact from the Great Lakes cruise lines.
The Great Lakes Cruise Marketing Group said passengers left behind a $230 million economic impact in such cities as Duluth, Detroit and Cleveland. That number increased by 15% this year and is expected to rise again in 2026 and 2027.
Kaler said the other pay off comes from passengers making return visits to many of the cities where the ships stop.
“It whets their appetite and many do come back,” Kaler said.
[WBEN]
