Ice breaking begins on Duluth, Superior ports, Lake Superior

The United States Coast Guard started breaking ice in the ports of Duluth and Superior this week in preparation for the 2013 shipping season.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Alder, Mackinaw and Biscayne Bay commenced ice breaking operations in the waters of the Duluth Harbor out to Lake Superior. This includes ice covered areas normally used by recreational users such as but not limited to Superior Front Channel, Superior and Duluth Harbor Basins, East Gate, the entry channels into Duluth and Superior Harbor and the ice in Lake Superior adjacent to Minnesota Point.

These icebreaking efforts expand and increase in frequency as the ice and demands of shipping require. This will include all navigable waters in and around the ports of Duluth and Superior, as well as the waters of Silver Bay, Taconite Harbor and Two Harbors in Minnesota.

All ice fishermen should remove their ice shacks and equipment from these areas. Snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle operators, and other recreational users of the ice should avoid shipping channels, plan their activity carefully and use caution near the ice.

Further inquiries can be made by phone to Sault Vessel Traffic Service at (906) 635-3232 or email SOOTFC@USCG.MIL.

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