STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Higher temperatures and the first round of spring ice breaking in NE Wisconsin has officials cautioning ice fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts to use common sense.
The U.S. Coast Guard will start ice breaking operations on Friday in Sturgeon Bay.
The goal is to get ships coming in and out, instead of having to wait for the ice to dissolve naturally.
“That would really have a negative impact on the commercial industry up there,” explains Lieutenant Paul Grotelueschen with the U.S. Coast Guard. “So we’re looking to facilitate that and help their operations.”
The ice breaking operations will gradually increase in the next couple of weeks as ice deteriorates and navigation expands.
“Throughout the week as we get further we’re going to create what’s called a turning circle, which is going to allow those tugs to turn around the commercial ships that are in that shipbuilding facility,” he says.
By doing that, large vessels can avoid tough ice conditions in the bay of Green Bay and sail for Lake Michigan using the ship canal.
The decision to commence spring ice breaking coincides with very mild temperatures forecasted for the week, which alone should provide residents with second thoughts about venturing onto the ice.
But when mild temperatures are joined with ice breaking efforts it can create a potentially dangerous situation.
“It’s just going to change the nature of the ice,” says Grotelueschen. “The way that it moves and plays, so we just want people to use extreme caution.”
Meaning people who fish or operate all-terrain vehicles on Sturgeon Bay should make their plans carefully and utilize caution.
“We would just want to caution people to use their caution to be reasonable when it comes to these things,” he says.
Also, they ask people to stay away from shipping channels.
Ice breaking efforts are starting in Sturgeon Bay to clear their busy port, but pretty soon it will expand to other port cities.
On the short list is Green Bay.
“In the next few weeks the goal is to head down to Green Bay,” says Grotelueschen.
Also on the list is Menominee and Escanaba.
