Boatnerd News – June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

Lakes Limestone Trade Down in May

CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in May, a decrease of 6.8 percent compared to a year ago.  May’s loadings were above the month’s 5-year average by 1.1 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries decreased 6.9 percent compared to 2024 to 2.9 million tons.  Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 688,697 tons, a decrease of 6.2 percent.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 5.6 million tons, a decrease of 13.2 percent compared to a year ago.  Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 4.6 million tons, a decrease of 11.9 percent.  Shipments from Ontario quarries decreased 18.4 percent to 985,761 tons.

U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI.  Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Port Colborne (from August 2017 on) and Smelter Bay (all Ontario).
[Lake Carriers Assoc.]  [Charts in gallery below]

 

Registration Now Open for Annual Soo Boatnerd Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Freighter Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River!

  • When: Friday, June 27, 6-9 pm, rain or shine
  • Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
  • Limit: 100 passengers
  • Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
  • General Adult Admission:

-Early Bird Adult $35.00 each (through May 31)

-Regular Adult $40.00 each (June 1-June 20)

-Procrastinator Adult $45 each (after June 20)

  • Youth Admission, age 5-17: $15 flat rate
  • Youth Admission, age 4 and under: FREE
  • Students (age 18+) with a current, valid i.d. get a $5 discount off an adult ticket. The student must present their student i.d. when boarding.

This year’s St. Mary’s River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 27. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters.

Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (you cannot bring alcohol).

Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Mailed checks must be received no later than Friday, June 20.

If the cruise is not sold out by June 20, we will take online or cash (US funds only) reservations at the Procrastinator Price of $45.00 per General Admission ticket. Youth ticket rates stay the same as listed above.

Click link below to buy your ticket(s) online.

Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or to request any refunds. No refunds will be issued after June 19.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1778398666043742/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D