Federal Bering last eastbound ship in Seaway
Federal Bering was the last eastbound ship through the St. Lambert Lock for the season, passing through around 8 p.m. Saturday. She is bound for Waterford, Ireland.
Rene Beauchamp
Icebreaking advisory for Midland, ON
Sarnia, ON – The Canadian Coast Guard advises residents in Midland, ON, that the CCGS Griffon will carry out icebreaking operations in the Georgian Bay area on or around January, 7, 2025. The purpose of this operation is to break up the ice to allow commercial vessels safe and efficient movement.
It is recommended that all traffic on the ice, including pedestrians, fishers, snowmobilers, and all-terrain vehicle operators, leave the ice during icebreaking operations. The ice may move, creating a real danger for anyone on it. Additionally, plan activities carefully and use extreme caution after operations are complete as the ice will remain unstable even once the icebreaker has left the area.
Icebreaking on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways is delivered through close co-operation between the Canadian and United States Coast Guards. By working together, the two Coast Guards ensure scheduled vessel traffic can move through the shipping channels and in and out of community harbors. Vessels will be assigned as needed to provide this service.
The date and assets are subject to change with no notice, as activities could begin before or after that period, depending on operational requirements or weather conditions.
CCGS
NEWS RELEASE: Lake Superior water
levels below average for January
The International Lake Superior Board of Control expects the total St. Marys River flow in January to be 1,790 m3/s (63,200 cfs), as prescribed by Regulation Plan 2012. Actual hour-to-hour and day-to-day flows may vary depending on hydrologic conditions, as well as variations in flow from the hydropower plants.
The gate setting of the Compensating Works will be maintained at the typical winter gate setting (Gate #1 and Gates #7 through #10 open 20 cm each) equivalent to approximately one-half gate open. Therefore, the average St. Marys Rapids flow in January is expected to be approximately 87 m3/s (3,100 cfs). Gate #1 will remain at its typical setting which supplies a flow of about 15 m3/s (500 cfs) to the channel north of the Fishery Remedial Dike.
Actual hour-to-hour and day-to-day flows may vary depending on hydrologic conditions, as well as variations in flow from the hydropower plants
Water level changes over the month of December:
Water supply conditions were wetter than average in the Lake Superior basin and were near average in the Lake Michigan-Huron basin in December.
Lake Superior declined by 7 cm (2.8 in) last month while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Superior to decline by 8 cm (3.1 in) in December.
Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 6 cm (2.4 in) last month, while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Michigan-Huron to decline by 5 cm (2.0 in) in December.
Water levels as of the beginning of January:
At the beginning of January, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior was 15 cm (5.9 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2023) and 14 cm (5.5 in) below the level of a year ago.
At the beginning of January, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-Huron was 11 cm (4.3 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2023) and 22 cm (8.7 in) below the level of a year ago
International Lake Superior Board of Control
Water Level chart in gallery below
Win a trip on the Alpena
Information in the gallery below.
MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history
Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.
In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.
“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”
Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.
