GALLERY: 2025 Great Lakes shipping season officially starts

The 2025 Great Lakes Shipping Season officially started at 8 a.m. Friday with the tug/barge Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader locking through the Poe Lock.

A couple hundred dedicated "boatnerds" took advantage of the Army Corps of Engineers opening up the Soo Locks Canal Park and the viewing platform and welcomed in the first freighter.

But before the freighter opened the season, it first left Toledo, Ohio Wednesday, where it was stationed for the last couple of months for winter maintenance.

It passed Rotary Park around 1:30 p.m. Thursday with several people welcoming the freighter from shore.

Soon after, at 3:30 p.m., a host of dignitaries were able to go on board and visit the crew and take a tour of the pilot house.

Captain Erik Sawyer was given several gifts including a "First Boat Proclamation" from Andrew Rubinstein representing the city, along with a plaque from Linda Hoath at the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau, first-ship hats from Ray Bell at Das Gift Haus, and a box of Know Your Ships from Roger LeLievre.

Jayson Toth, Director of Human Resources and Safety, was one of the crew members on board.

"This is very exciting this year to be able to see the Locks open up a little early and get a jump on the season. It's fun. A lot of times when you make your way through the Great Lakes it's something special," Toth said.

The Soo Locks were originally scheduled to open up March 25, but the shipping industry requested opening a few days early.

Hoath likes the Soo Locks opening up a bit early.

"This is who we are.  If it wasn't for the Soo Locks and the freighters and the river, tourism would be really low.  The impact of these freighters and this river is not only important, it's also exciting.  To have an event like opening day, that's exciting too," Hoath said.

Myra DeCaire made the trip up from Alpena to be a part of the yearly tradition to watch the first-freighter through.

"Watching them open the Locks for the first time, when that gate goes up, it's exciting. It's the end of winter, the beginning of spring, like we love it. Boatnerds are our kind of people. They are the best," DeCaire exclaimed.

The Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader and the Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader were second and third freighters through the Soo Locks Friday.