First Boats Line Up at Soo Locks for Wednesday Opening

The 2026 navigation season is nearly here, and vessels are already gathering at the Sault Ste. Marie locks. The tug-barge Dirk S. VanEnkevort with its barge Michigan Trader and the self-unloader John G. Munson reached Mission Point around 5 p.m. Monday, each sounding salutes to ship fans gathered in bright but bitterly cold sunshine. Both vessels are tied up below the locks, waiting for the official opening at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. The Edwin H. Gott and Paul R. Tregurtha were positioned below Lime Island Monday evening, also queued for passage. On Tuesday, local officials will board the Dirk S. VanEnkevort to present the captain and crew with plaques, First Boat caps, and copies of the new *Know Your Ships* book—a tradition marking the season's symbolic beginning. Meanwhile, upbound movements were steady across the upper lakes Monday. The Hon. James L. Oberstar departed Duluth for Marquette. The Mesabi Miner loaded ore at the LS&I dock, then headed to Cleveland around 8 p.m. The Indiana Harbor was also on the move to Superior, while the Kathy McKeil pushed upbound on Lake Huron toward Thunder Bay. CSL Welland and Evans Spirit transited the lower St. Clair River, part of the early-season flow. Water levels remain favorable across all five lakes. Superior sits 0.52 feet above Low Water Datum at the Sault, while Lake Erie—often the constraint in shallow seasons—stands at 1.81 feet above datum at Cleveland. Moderate seas and high-pressure systems are tracking across the region this week, with waves on Superior and Michigan expected to remain manageable in the 3–5 foot range. The Welland Canal opened for 2026 on Sunday, with the Radcliffe R. Latimer becoming the first vessel through Lock 8, her Master receiving the traditional top hat. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the same day with the Algoma Bear leading the charge. Spring's arrival brings not only vessel traffic but reminders of seasonal challenges—the warming spell this week may be false comfort, as March weather on the lakes remains capricious until May.