Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) After spending the entire winter season in Buffalo, the lake freighter American Mariner was delayed leaving Buffalo Monday.
The 715 foot long bulk carrier attempted to leave Buffalo Harbor when it became wedged in ice, up to three feet thick in spots.
The ship's hull is empty. It had unloaded grain at General Mills.
The Tug Oklahoma and Canadian Coast Guard Ship, Griffon, tried to open a path for it to no avail Monday.
Another attempt was being made on Tuesday. It's destination is Rogers City, Michigan.
You may remember back in January the Canadian freighter Manatoulin was stuck in ice in almost the same place while trying to leave Buffalo. It was freed after 2 days.
The Manatoulin, coincidentally, was heading to Buffalo on Tuesday.
In recent years, the ice boom has been removed by the first of April. But not this year.
"We've been spoiled," said Lou Paonessa, spokesman for the New York Power Authority, which is in charge of installation and removal of the ice boom.
The ice boom is generally removed by April 1, unless there is more than 250 square miles of ice in the eastern end of Lake Erie.
"Since 2019, we've had warmer winters and have been able to remove the boom prior to April 1. But before that, it wasn't unusual for the ice boom to come out during the first week in April."
Paonessa said as of just a day ago, the ice covered more than 500 square miles of the lake.
"It's also the thickness of the ice that is slowing the process down. Parts of the boom are still under several feet of ice. It will have to dissipate quite a bit for us to be able to remove the boom."