News from the great white north. The shipping season on the upper Great Lakes has been postponed for a least a week because of heavy ice conditions. When the locks at Ste. St. Marie do open, the Coast Guard says ships will have to convoy with an icebreaker leading the way. This is the first time I can ever remember that happening. I had the occasion to drive over the Mackinac bridge yesterday which spans the straits of Mackinac, joining Lakes Michigan and Huron. Frozen solid. However, it was apparent the USCG Mackinaw, which is the Coast Guard’s heaviest ice breaker on the Great Lakes, had made a pass. It should be interesting to see when the ice goes away this year. Here in Duluth, we got another substantial shot of snow yesterday taking us up to about 100" for the season. It was below zero again this morning and will be again tomorrow. We now are at about 75 days below zero for the season, by far smashing the old record. So, boating on the Great Lakes this year will be on colder and most likely higher water. And it will very likely be a shorter season. David Sorenson Duluth, MN