The U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards are working to break free the motor vessel Arthur M. Anderson, which is beset in ice near Conneaut Harbor, and turn it around in Lake Erie so it can head to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for its winter layup.
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay, a 140-foot ice-breaking tug homeported in Detroit, has been just outside of Ashtabula for several days battling 8 to 10 feet of ice in areas and brash ice up to 5 to 6 feet thick. The progress has been slow in getting into Ashtabula, so the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon has been called to assist. The Griffon is stationed in Prescott, Ontario, and is a 234-foot multi-mission medium icebreaker.
The motor vessel Arthur M. Anderson is beset in ice near Ashtabula, Ohio, Feb. 19, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay breaks ice outside of Ashtabula, Ohio, Feb. 19, 2015. The Bristol Bay has encountered ice 8 to 10 feet in Lake Erie and brash ice, which is the jagged landscape, five to six feet thick. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon, a 234-foot multi-mission medium icebreaker, breaks ice in Lake Erie en route to a rendezvous with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay. The Griffon will assist the Bristol Bay into Cleveland Harbor before making way to assist the motor vessel Arthur M. Anderson. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)The motor vessel Arthur M. Anderson is beset in ice near Ashtabula, Ohio, Feb. 19, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay breaks ice outside of Ashtabula, Ohio, Feb. 19, 2015. The Bristol Bay has encountered ice 8 to 10 feet in Lake Erie and brash ice, which is the jagged landscape, five to six feet thick. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon, a 234-foot multi-mission medium icebreaker, breaks ice in Lake Erie en route to a rendezvous with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay. The Griffon will assist the Bristol Bay into Cleveland Harbor before making way to assist the motor vessel Arthur M. Anderson. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard)
The Arthur M. Anderson is currently outside of Conneaut Harbor awaiting assistance. The Bristol Bay is en route back to Cleveland. The Griffon will join up with the Bristol Bay and they will clear a path into Cleveland. The Bristol Bay will fill up on fuel and will resupply with food. Once a path is cleared into Cleveland, the Griffon will head out to Conneaut Harbor and break free the Anderson.
"The U.S. and Canada have a strong ice-breaking partnership," said Rear Adm. Fred Midgette, commander Coast Guard 9th District. Both countries coordinate closely to respond to these extreme ice conditions across the Great Lakes. Our goal is to get the commercial traffic moving and keep it moving, so we will keep working to achieve that goal.
After working for several days and making slow progress, the crew of the Bristol Bay was running low on food for its crew, so a Coast Guard air crew from Air Station Detroit delivered 100 pounds of food via their rescue basket, Thursday night. The delivery was an opportunity for the air crew and the cutter crew to conduct regular hoist training while delivering needed supplies.