The steamer Alpena has departed Cleveland bound for her namesake port to load cement, marking the start of her 84th sailing season. The vessel, built in 1942 as the Leon Fraser by Great Lakes Engineering Works on the Rouge River, arrived at Detroit Wednesday evening and will lay for weather before continuing her run. This storied ship has been a favorite of boatwatchers since her 1990 conversion, when Fraser Shipyards shortened her by 120 feet to adapt her to modern Great Lakes commerce after decades in layup at Lorain, Ohio.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Coast Guard has initiated icebreaking operations on the St. Lawrence Seaway, with the Martha L. Black entering at Montreal and beginning transit through Cape Vincent this week. U.S. Seaway operations are monitoring conditions at the Massena locks as winter holdover ice continues to clear from the gateway between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. Water levels across the system remain above low-water datum, with Lake Ontario at 1.83 feet and Lake Erie at 1.74 feet above datum, favorable conditions as the navigation season accelerates.
In broader port news, the Samuel deChamplain completed unloading at Toledo and departed for Alpena on March 13, while the Mark W. Barker continues her shuttle service with 15 legs already logged this winter. At Nanticoke, Ontario, the Algoberta joined the Algocanada at Imperial Oil’s terminal, consolidating activity as operations ramp up. Wave heights remain modest across all lakes, 6 feet on Michigan, 3 on Superior, with moderate winds and high pressure systems gradually clearing the region.
Closer to shore, the plight of Port Burwell’s historic lighthouse, built in 1840 and the oldest wooden lighthouse on the Great Lakes, underscores the delicate work of preserving maritime heritage. The municipally owned structure has been shuttered since 2023 due to structural concerns, though stabilization efforts including a steel collar and guy-wire reinforcement offer hope for restoration.