(Photo: Monica E. The fate of the Spirit of Ontario has taken yet another interesting turn. According to an article published in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, the city of Rochester is poised to bid to buy the Spirit of Ontario, which now sits idly at the Port of Rochester. According to the paper the City Council approved a measure to turn the service into a publicly run operation, and it will try to buy the ship at a foreclosure auction scheduled for February 28. The $42.5 million aluminum catamaran operated for just 80 days this past summer before halting service in financial disarray.