CLEVELAND — Reiterating an announcement made earlier this year, the Coast Guard announced Friday that it has not set seasonal buoys 37 through 85 in the Upper St. Louis River above Clough Island in the vicinity of Spirit Lake, at the western edge of Lake Superior.
“Recreational boating season is upon us, and icy conditions on many nearby lakes could prompt boaters to converge on this area of open water,” said Lt. Judson Coleman, chief of waterways management for Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Duluth, Minn.
“We wanted to remind everyone that the water depths are still dangerously low, so people should continue to stay clear of the area.”
Because of severe shoaling and lower than normal lake levels, reducing water depths to less than 2 feet in many places, the channel is considered very dangerous to navigate.
The minimum depth the Coast Guard will set buoys is 6 feet of water. Placing buoys in this location with the current conditions could mislead boaters into shallow water.
The Coast Guard has placed signs at public access locations and marinas warning boaters of this danger.
