Sometime Saturday evening, it became apparent the lake freighter CSL Assiniboine was not going to reach its destination of the Port of Windsor.

Carrying aggregate, this self-unloader has been a regular on the lake and has made many deliveries to our area, including our own Port of Kingsville. The construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge has required significant volumes of construction materials, and much of it arrives by ship.

After two bitterly cold evenings, Kingsville residents could see that ice has formed on the lake and this ice prevented the Assiniboine from getting past our area.

It sat idle until late Sunday morning when the United States Coast Guard Cutter Morro Bay arrived to break a path for the Assiniboine to reach its destination.

Area residents have been used to seeing the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Griffon ply our waters, keeping shipping lanes open. However the Griffon and her crew are currently serving in Northern Lake Huron. 

It is unknown if they will return to the Western Basin of Lake Erie anytime soon, so we are fortunate that icebreaker duties are cooperatively managed by both countries.