Ice breaking operations to begin next week

SAULT STE. MARIE — Starting Monday, the United States Coast Guard will be conducting ice breaking operations in the Keweenaw Waterway.

The cutter will make its way from the east and enter at Keweenaw Bay, then west through Portage Lake before returning to the open waters of Lake Superior. Coast Guard officials are asking recreational users of the Keweenaw Waterway to plan their activities carefully and exercise caution near the ice.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the Soo Locks last weekend, marking the beginning of the 2017 Great Lakes shipping season.