Coast Guard Removing Buoys from Great Lakes

A sign of the impeding weather is that buoys are being pulled off the Great Lakes.

This is the largest navigation recovery operation in the United States.

The Ninth Coast Guard District is in charge of retrieval on the Great Lakes and on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

It will involve retrieving more than 1,200 navigational aids and should be completed by December 28th.

The aids are taken out of service during the winter months due to decreased vessel traffic and to minimize damage from ice and severe weather.

They range from lighted structures, beacons and landmarks to floating buoys.

The operation will consist of six Coast Guard cutters, civilian employees who manage the inland waters of northern Minnesota, Canadian Coast Guard partners and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.