Soo and Superior

** Mackinac Island to Sault Ste. Marie / Lake Superior **

Our next jaunt takes us from Mackinac Island up the St. Mary’s River to Sault Ste. Marie and into Lake Superior, our fourth Great Lake.

Our route up the St. Mary’s River and dipping our bow into Lake Superior

Leaving Mackinac with clear blue skies and calm waters, we had a great 39 mile cruise over four and a half hours northeast to De Tour, Michigan, our first Upper Peninsula stop.

Cruise Leaving Mackinac Island

We were now in the land of Yoopers. De Tour was an uneventful port, however in talking with locals at the dive bar, we were invited to a party July 23 at Susie’s house, she indicated “we love loopers!”

DeTour, Michigan – Yooper country!

The following day we would cruise north on the St. Mary’s River to Sault St. Marie. The weather forecast looked good for the 47 mile trip; however, the skies began to change just as we were ready to cast off the lines. Radar showed small storms popping up along the route. We made the call to continue our plan, though not too far into the voyage, we weren’t sure that was the best decision. The wind kicked up, it began to rain, the fog rolled in, and thunder cracked all around. A squall warning was issued. Of course we were thinking, what were we thinking?!

What were we thinking?!

Then over the radio we heard what no boater wants to hear in a storm, or really any time. “Now or Never, Now or Never, this is the United States Coast Guard.” The captain acknowledged the call and the coast guard continued “you are navigating up the downbound channel and there is a 700 footer coming your way – just a couple of miles out”. Yikes! Captain Dave responded, “we will turn around immediately”. While recreational craft are not bound by channel directions and we were fully legal nobody wants to play chicken with a downbound freighter especially in a storm with limited visibility. Our radar was inundated by the passing storm clouds and heavy rain that was turning our radar solid red all around us and their AIS signal wasn’t being observed.

This is part of the cut we were headed towards. This vessel grounded in the rocks.

Radar can be adjusted during a storm to correct the display but sometimes it’s more important to be looking out the window rather than attempting to adjust a seldom used setting on essentially a computer screen. Captain Dave thanked them for the heads up and indicated it was our first time in the area. You could envision the grin he wore when they replied, “we’ll be standing by should you need more assistance.” We back tracked about mile and turned to join the upbound channel.

Radar showing red

The downbound channel is a more direct route on the west side of an island, the upbound veers east and is a longer route. Freighters use the assigned channel, and pleasure craft can use either giving way to the freighters. The problem in this case, we were approaching a very narrow cut in the granite that ran a mile long. There is very little room for the freighter to navigate, and a pleasure craft must hole up if you can find a place where you won’t be in the rocks. In less than ideal conditions, we were thankful that our Coast Guard was on top of navigation that day.

Now or Never has an AIS- Automatic Identification System on board. All commercial vehicles must have one and we certainly think it is key safety equipment for pleasure craft. Those with one can see you on radar, see your boat name, how fast you are moving, your bearing and, in this case, call you by name.

There are two Sault St. Maries across the St. Mary’s River from one another, one in the USA, the other Canada. We chose the USA as it has a vibrant downtown that caters to the history of the locks and shipping industry with lots of history to soak in.

Two Sault St. Marie’s. Canada on left across the river, USA on right

We would wait four nights for a two day window of ideal weather to head onto Lake Superior. Lake Superior in the largest freshwater lake by surface in the world, the third largest by surface area, holding 10% of the fresh water in all the world rivers and lakes. It averages 483 feet in depth and at its deepest measures 1333 feet or about a quarter of mile, that is 1130 feet deeper than the deepest water in all of Lake Erie.

Lake Superior

We have navigated this trip much to the way the wind blows adding side trips here and there as we cruise, but from the start we knew we wanted to dip our bow into Lake Superior.

We had plenty of time to dive into the history of Sault Ste. Marie and the world famous Soo locks, that we had heard about all our lives. A well-presented visitor center sits front and center at the locks and a two level viewing stand plus ground to watch boats make the twenty one foot elevation drop from Lake Superior to the St. Mary’s River leading to Lake Huron. This is the only connection from Lake Superior to the other Great Lakes. The USA has two locks in operation and two that were closed to build one new lock.

The Poe Lock is the largest lock at the Soo, opened in 1969 to accommodate 1000 foot vessels. It measures 1200 feet long by 110 feet wide and is 32 feet deep. The MacArthur Lock opened 1943 and is 800 feet by 80 feet wide and 31 feet deep. Two locks, the Davis and Sabin have closed, and they are building a new lock the same size of the Poe to be completed in 2030.

Photo on left is from a brochure starting on left MacArthur Lock, Poe Lock, and construction of new lock. Photo on right, we took as a freighter was entering lock – tight squeeze!

More than 7000 vessel passages each year transit the locks carrying 75 million tons of cargo, mostly iron, ore, coal, grain, and stone. Small private vessels and large freighters up to 1000 feet transit the locks. A 1000 foot ship can carry 700 train cars or 3000 large trucks.

Canada has one lock, primarily used by recreational vessels and opened in 1895. It was rebuilt in 1987. It measures 253 feet long by 51 feet wide and the lock chamber is 44 feet deep. 

We were a bit surprised by the locks. We have transited locks on the Ohio River for years, traversed 129 locks thus far on our loop, and based upon the hype and attention over the years – we were imagining these ginormous locks at the Soo. The legendary Soo locks. They’re big, don’t get us wrong, but once the New Lock at the Soo (that will be the name!)  is completed, the capacity for big ships will be the same as our home locks, the McAlpine locks in Louisville, KY. They do a wonderful job of promoting the locks and it is a very popular attraction. The biggest difference is large freighters navigate the Soo and, on the Ohio River, it’s typically Tow Boats pushing barges. A typical barge is 195 feet by 35 feet and a standard tow on the Ohio consists of 15 barges, forming a flotilla 1,000 feet long by 105 feet. Much the same dimensions just a different configuration and different vessel.

Freighter vs. river tow with barges

Next to our marina, a 550 foot long by 58 foot freighter turned museum deemed a fascinating experience and also a great wind block for the marina. Built in 1917 and in service until 1966, the boat was purchased by the historical society for $10,000 and towed to Sault Ste. Marie and opened as a museum in 1968. Filled with artifacts and photos of the Great Lakes shipping history including two destroyed lifeboats that were from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Valley Camp Freighter Museum

Edmund Fitzgerald display at Valley Camp Museum

Overlooking the city is the 210 foot Tower of History where on a clear day you can see up to 20 miles in US and Canada. Built by the Catholic Church as a part of their campus, they abandoned the project due to cost, the historical society now operates it. We went to the top observation deck at 175 feet and enjoyed an incredible view of the area.

Views from the Tower of History, Canada across the river

And what do loopers do almost 11,000 miles into their trip, we board a Soo Locks Tour Boat to get a first look at the locks before we would transit them a few days later. They also provided a great deal of history of the area we found interesting. We were a bit apprehensive prior due to all the Soo hype but realized we had been in much more intimidating locks, and this would be routine for us.

A quick trip through the locks and into Canadian waters via the Soo Boat Tour

We had another run in with the Coast Guard, though this time invited. They were boarding a veesel that just had arrived at our marina and Captain Dave reached out to see if they would do a vessel saftety check on Now or Never. They spent about 15 minutes on board and we were deemed safe!

US Coast Guard – aboard Now or Never

We were located about a mile from the vibrant downtown loaded with everything Soo, restaurants, shops, exhibits and such. We wore out the path between our marina and downtown.

A few of the freighters passing by our Sault Ste. Marie marina

Our weather window had arrived, up early, the radio call was made to the locks at 6am. A chilly day, even cooler with it being early morning. We were told to come on up, they would have the MacArthur lock ready. Locking through with another boat from the marina we were in and set quickly. Then we waited and waited. A cruise ship finally joined us. Not an ocean going size, but nonetheless when it is coming into the lock on your stern it looks really big! The captain is always on the stern during locking and was hoping it would stop. Locking up the 21 feet in was uneventful. The doors opened and we were off to Superior!

Locking through MacArthur Lock – cruise ship behind Now or Never

We wound up the river and then we saw Whitefish Bay and Lake Superior. An incredible high and a beautiful piece of water. Forty one miles to our destination, we encountered a couple of freighters and the pleasure craft in the locks cruised about a mile ahead of us. Again, mostly just us and the big water. The skies were blue, the air crisp and fresh, and the water COLD.

We entered Whitefish Harbor, a protected sea wall area with four slips available to transients. About 10 slips are designated for the First Nation Tribe who dock their fishing boats. Rustic with no services, it provides a free, safe place to tie up. We would walk a mile to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and the Whitefish Bay Point Light Station, the oldest active light on Lake Superior, dating back to 1861, and spend the afternoon immersed in learning about shipwrecks. The area we were in is known as the Graveyard of the Great Lakes due to the high number (over 200) of shipwrecks near Whitefish Point on Lake Superior.

Whitefish Point

While the museum shared the history and artifacts of many shipwrecks, none as somber as the Edmund Fitzgerald. Whether it being fairly recent (50 years this November), where she rests twisted and broken 535’ below the surface just 17 miles from the museum, or the story told by Gordon Lightfoot’s tribute, there’s truly a solemness that filled the air.

In 1995 the families of the 29 men on board that November day asked for the bell to be raised from the wreckage and make its home at the museum. It is the only thing taken from the ship as it is considered a memorial and burial site protected by the Canadian government as she went down in Canadian waters.

The orginal Edmund Fitzgerald Bell, razed from the wreckage.

The bell was replaced on the wreckage with one inscribed with each of the names of the 29 who perished that fateful day. The families hold a private memorial each November at the museum and the bell rings 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald, just as it did in that Church in Detroit nearly 50 years ago.

A quiet evening on board, grilling, and buttoned up tight as the mosquitos were big and out for blood, our first run in with the pests.

Evening at Whitefish Point, Lake Superior

We returned to Sault Ste. Marie the following day. Now that we have had a taste of Lake Superior, we would like to have spent several weeks exploring. It appears to be fantastic, breathtaking, remote, cruising. We’ll put that on our list for another year. Returning to the locks, we chose to navigate through the Canadian Lock this time. Reminiscent of the Trent Severn Waterway locks of last year, small, personable staff, quick, and most importantly easy. We took up camp in the same slip we had on the way up at our marina and arrived just in time for Engineer’s Day.

Canadian Lock, our 129th lock on Now or Never

Engineer’s Day celebrates those who built the locks and those who maintain them. A street festival and lots of displays. There was even a car show, albeit three entries! We spent the rainy day taking it all in.

Engineer Day at the Soo Locks

The Historical Society had a great train display. Captain Dave could have spent all day watching.

Soo Train

We’ll leave Yooper country and cruise to Canada and the North Channel next, a favorite area of ours. Stay tuned for breathtaking granite, pine trees, and crystal cool water, our view for a few weeks.

Cheers!  David, Tasha, 

                  & Remy forever in our hearts!   –   Loop Dog for 1 year and 3357 miles

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