Island ferry service woes 'flushed down river'

NEWS RELEASE
U.S. COAST GUARD
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SAULT STE MARIE, MICH. - Ferry service to Neebish Island was restored Wednesday evening. Today the EUP Transit Authority announced a plan to operate the ferry during day light hours, as ice conditions permit.

Scheduled ferry service to Neebish Island was halted March 30, 2018 due to unsafe ice conditions.  Strong northwesterly winds and abnormally cold temperatures created an ice jam which prevented the restoration of service.

The ferry was out of service a total of 12 days. During the service outage, an assortment of Coast Guard ice breakers worked the ice above and below the ferry crossing in an effort to clear the ice jam. 

Yesterday, CGC Mackinaw worked the ice plug free and flushed it down river. While service was interrupted a privately owned airboat and a Coast Guard air boat team, deployed to the scene from Saginaw, attended to the exigent needs of Neebish Island residents.  

Residents of Neebish Island are reminded to check with the ferry operators before leaving for the mainland. The ice above the crossing is still significant and without warning may block the crossing again. 

Residents should remain mindful of this until ice is gone so as not to get trapped on the mainland. The Coast Guard will keep an ice breaker in the vicinity until the ice no longer threatens to impede navigation.   

For more information contact LTJG Sean Murphy at (906) 635-3223 or [email protected], or follow the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste Marie page on Facebook.

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