The Soo Locks are once again open for the shipping season and the freighters are sailing Lake Superior again! Thanks to Andrea Guerriero over at DRE Designs – Great Lakes Marine Products, we have a few shots and a video of the action, too. Andrea starts us off with two shots of the Frontenac on the St. Mary’s River, upbound to Thunder Bay where she loaded and headed back down to the Soo Locks. Looks a little icy surrounding her and even an icy splash at the hull in the second photo. A fun fact that Andrea shared is that the Canada Steamship Lines has three female Captains and a fourth who just received her ticket last month. One of those women is the Captain aboard the Frontenac.

The third photo is the Captain Henry Jackman from Algoma Central Corporation as she was upbound on her way to Thunder Bay also. Andrea was able to capture this shot through the fence along Portage Avenue in the Soo, as the Jackman pulled away in the Upper Lock Canal after locking through. Great shot with the sunshine, the freighter and the bridge in view, too.

In Andrea’s video we get to see the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader passing by at the West Pier after locking through on their way to Marquette. Andrea said she received a new paint job during layup, formerly black hull and white above, she is now sporting a red hull, with a cream color above. Andrea caught the International Ship Master’s Salute and Captain Mather coming out to give her a wave, despite the cold that day, so keep an eye out for that.

There's a signal on boats...ah...she just
said...how cool...and how awesome to be buds with
the Captain!

It's going to be so great to see the freighters
out and about again. I've missed them.

— WORD FOR THE DAY —

When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is
safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what
great ships are built for.

CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS

Really cool pics and video, thanks for sharing
Andrea!! Holy Smokes does she know her stuff!! I
could listen to her for hours.
Finn is laying down behind me, when he heard the 3
long blast & 1 short he looked at me like... dad I'm
trying to sleep.
Thanks again Andrea for the education, I really
enjoyed it. Thanks to you, MS Mary for putting this
out today!