U.S. Coast Guard Concluded Icebreaking on the Great Lakes

If you ever see ice cutters out on the Great Lakes, it best to stay far away from them.

This past weekend there were at least 10 icebreaking cutters working overtime to help keep cargo ships moving to each of their destinations throughout the Great Lakes.

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According to mprnews.org

Last week, two cutters carved a track from the Soo Locks on the eastern edge of Lake Superior all the way to Duluth. The Mackinaw then cut a path up the North Shore, breaking open paths in the ice and clearing the way for thousand-foot freighters to carry their first cargo of iron ore, coal and grain.

I've always been a fan of the Great Lakes and really enjoy trips to at least three of the five Great Lakes. The three that I go to are Lake Michigan, Huron, and Superior.

However, you will never see me or my family anywhere near the Great Lakes when they're frozen during the winter months.

During winter, the U.S. Coast Guard keeps very busy with huge ice breaking ships as they help cargo ships travel throughout the Great Lakes.

According to mlive.com:

Icebreaking is key in the movement of cargo through the Great Lakes during winter. During the 108-day icebreaking season, an estimated 7.8 million tons of cargo worth about $284 million traversed the Great Lakes. The cargo moving through the Great Lakes this past winter was critical to power generation, industrial sectors and public safety, the report said.

I've never seen an actual Great Lakes icebreaker in action, but I do find it very fascinating to say the least.

These ice cutters spent well over 5,000 hours breaking up ice on the Great Lakes to help move huge cargo vessels to the Straits of Mackinac and several other very important locations.