The Great Lakes are now "salt free"

[Magogman]

Alas, the last salt water vessel has left North America's Great Lakes.  The Seneca had the honor of being the last "salty" to grace our inland sea.  Although the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Soo Locks will close for the winter in a few days, there still is some activity on the Great Lakes as lakers make their last runs before winter layup.  A few ships will continue to sail through the winter, mostly tankers carrying petroleum products and bulkers carrying salt as well as both US and Canadian icebreakers keeping channels open.  For those of us in the U.S. Midwest who are landlocked, it is always sad to see the salties leave and the Seaway close.  We are now in winter's icy grip!

[Randy Martens]

The US flagged ships will still do runs until the Soo closes, but the Canadian fleet is slowly starting to lay up.  Algoma will still sail their tankers, and CSL will most likely sail the Birchglen and Spruceglen over the winter.on the eastern seaboard.

[Lanaud]

Not the Birchglen. She's laid-up in Montreal, high on the water and iced-in. I do have a few pics of her but the site only allows complete photos so I won't be able to share