Sugar Islanders cut off no more

NEWS RELEASE
U.S. COAST GUARD
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Coast Guard Cutter BISCAYNE BAY is leaving the St. Marys River today to assist five vessels stuck in the ice in the Straits of Mackinac. Yesterday, CGC BISCAYNE BAY conducted flushing operations in support of the Sugar Island Ferry. The cutter continued those efforts for a few hours this morning. The ferry is able to cross the river in the case of an emergency.

The St. Marys River is covered from north to south with ice. This prevents the ice from moving downstream with the current. The ice breakers work to mechanically flush the ice with a goal of clearing the ferry’s route. Currently working against this initiative is a wind from the south and the broken ice boom. Nothing can be done to repair the broken ice boom at this time. Eventually the ice will refreeze and no longer descend on to the ferry crossing. The winds are forecast to shift to the north in the coming days. When this occurs, the broken ice below the crossing will depress enabling the remaining ice in the crossing to float away from the ferry route.

The Coast Guard and EUPTA continue to partner to monitor the ice between the ferry crossing and will assign assets to the area if needed and available.

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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