On December 4, after a morning of intense snowfall, the Saginaw slid into port with its third grain delivery to Owen Sound for the 2025-2026 shipping season. While the “Witch of November” and bad weather on the lakes meant the end of the season for most ships historically, modern equipment, safety measures, and weather forecasting allow ships to operate through the start of the winter. Some only really stop because the annual closure of the locks means they can’t travel between the lakes.
Of course, being able to run later doesn’t mean crews are ignoring rough weather. When the Saginaw left the harbour, it actually dropped anchor near Balmy Beach for a while before departing, likely waiting for favourable conditions to get on their way to their next cargo, with their next destination being listed as Meldrum Bay.