Open

I haven't seen any ships steam by on the horizon just yet, but the ports on the North Shore are free of ice and the big lake is open for business:

The Canadian Navigator came into port this morning and will follow the John D. Leitch (she came in Tuesday morning) loading iron ore pellets at the CN Dock in West Duluth.

Some cool pics at that first link and lots of info on the big ships that navigate the Great Lakes. Back home, I think the flood waters need to recede some before the barge traffic will resume on the Upper Mississippi. I searched for when the first group is expected into St. Paul, but couldn't find anything yet. Another sign of spring.