Locks open, but boats are no-shows

As required by U.S. regulations, the Soo Locks opened for the 2003 shipping season early this morning, but the first vessels aren't expected to arrive until Wednesday at the earliest.

The first downbound ships, the Edwin H. Gott, Edgar B. Speer, Roger Blough and Presque Isle, were reportedly delayed in loading yesterday at Two Harbors, Minnesota.

"Today's shipping delay marks the first time since about 1968 that the Soo Locks have not been in use on March 25," tonight's Soo Evening News reports.

"In every other year since, vessels have either been waiting on the approach piers for opening day or the Locks were open year-around for the nine-year Winter Navigation experiment," the newspaper says.

Three icebreakers are working Whitefish Bay and the St. Mary's River: the Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw, the Bay-Class tug Biscayne Bay and her sister tug, Katmai Bay.

No upbound boats are currently in the St. Mary's River.