Port and vessel activity from March 25, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Marquette, MI – Anonymous
The first upbound visitor of the season was the John J. Boland, arriving at 14:37. She only made two visits in the 2022 season, once in April and once in May, so this appearance is nothing to put stock into in terms of future visits. Upcoming arrivals will include the Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader, as well as the Hon. James L. Oberstar, both of which are more traditional Marquette customers. The previously listed Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson changed their destination for Superior, a very atypical port of call for them. Such is Great Lakes shipping early in the season.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
1,004-foot Edwin H. Gott squeezed her way through the Poe Lock at 00:01 Saturday morning, officially marking the start of the 2023–2024 shipping season with a two-toned master’s salute and a 21-foot lift to Lake Superior. A hearty boatnerd faithful was on hand to watch the event from the Soo Locks observation platform.
Following the Gott through on Saturday were American Integrity, Joseph L. Block, John J. Boland, and a whole host of others eagerly waiting to venture onto Lake Superior.
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Welcome to spring in Milwaukee. CSL’s Whitefish Bay arrived from Windsor at 21:51 Friday and backed into south slip one, outer harbor, to drop deicing salt on the open dock. Workers at Windsor Salt have been on strike since February 17, 2023. At issue is job security and job protection. Ever since Stone Canyon Industries, a Los Angeles based holding company, acquired Windsor Salt they have been replacing union employees with contract workers. The company has been sending out product mined before the strike began.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Many boats are anchored on Lake Erie or remain in port due to high winds, waves and strong river currents.
Monroe, MI: In port are Leonard M/Huron Spirit, New York/Double Skin 509A and James R. Barker.
Toledo, OH: Departures were boatnerd favorite Arthur M. Anderson for Duluth, Algoma Transport for Hamilton, ON and American Century for Two Harbors, MN. CSL Assiniboine is at CSX. Samuel deChamplain/Innovation left Holcim and anchored in Lake Erie. Also anchored are Prentiss Brown/St.Marys Challenger and Sam Laud.
Sandusky, OH: Kaye E. Barker loaded coal and left for Zug Island. Florence Spirit is anchored in Lake Erie.
Cleveland, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder
Fairport Harbor, OH: Frontenac is the first boat of the season here, loading at Morton Salt.
Nanticoke, ON: Sarah Desgagnes and CSL Niagara are anchored off of Port Dover. Algoma Transport has joined them at the anchorage.
While we do not currently have daily summaries for the following ports, their respective port authority websites post schedules of vessel traffic that are featured below. Each schedule is a miniature webpage within a box. Scroll with your cursor in the box (or slide your finger within the box on a mobile device) to move through the schedule as you would a normal webpage. To move up or down the actual Port Reports page itself, make sure your cursor/finger is outside of the box.
Green Bay, WI – Port of Green Bay
Click on vessel image for voyage info.
Hamilton, ON – Hamilton–Oshawa Port Authority
Scroll past AIS map for arrival/departure schedule.
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- Edwin H. Gott nears high pool in the Poe. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers image, March 25
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- Operator and deckhand secure the lines. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers image, March 25
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- Right behind the Gott is Superior, WI-bound American Integrity. David Kaye image, March 25
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- A view from the pilothouse of the Integrity as the footer becomes the second vessel to transit the Poe Lock this season. John Tongusi Jr. image, March 25
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- American Mariner was among the first downbound passages during a snowy rest of the day. David Kaye image, March 25
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- Classy Lee A. Tregurtha approaches the locks after loading at Marquette, MI. David Kaye image, March 25
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- Stewart J. Cort heads upbound past Sault Ste. Marie, MI’s Mission Point in anticipation of her first Soo Locks passage of the season. David Kaye image, March 25
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- Whitefish Bay looks out on a hazy Lake Michigan while unloading salt in Milwaukee, WI. MKE Marine Reports image, March 25