-- The Seaway opened for 1985 on April 1st. On that date, ALGOWEST was feted at St. Catharines as first boat (up) the Welland Canal. JOHN B. AIRD opened the Soo Locks upbound on the same date, and the first upbound passage of the St. Lawrence canals was on April 1st by the Liberian salty MENHIR.

-- The Lake Ontario Cement motorship STEPHEN B. ROMAN opened the 1985 season at Rochester on March 28, and shortly thereafter got the "hat" for being the first arrival of the year at Toronto. The ROMAN had wintered in Toronto.

-- The 28-year-old Paterson steamer SENATOR OF CANADA, which wintered at Humberstone, arrived at Toronto on April 2nd and went into "permanent" lay-up at Pier 27, foot of Yonge Street. QUEDOC (II), which wintered light at Toronto, is still laid up in the Ship Channel, just inside the Cherry Street bridge. Neither steamer would appear to be facing a promising future.

-- J. L. MAUTHE, with her famous cargo out of Thunder Bay for Canada Malting Ltd., arrived at Toronto on April 8th. Part of her cargo was unloaded at the Bathurst Street elevator, while the remainder was unloaded at Parliament St.

-- The long-idle LAC STE-ANNE arrived from Hamilton at Port Colborne for dismantling on April 1st in tow of JAMES E. McGRATH and R. & L. NO. 1. The same tugs returned down the Welland Canal with the remains of UNGAVA TRANSPORT and arrived with her at Hamilton on April 6th. Plans for the tanker have not as yet been confirmed, and she is resting at the end of the Strathearne slip.

-- No buyer has yet been found for the remains of the old Canadian Dredge tug FRANK DIXON, and she has recently sunk in the Strathearne Avenue slip at Hamilton. The Sheriff's office is now wondering what to do with her. Despite earlier suggestions to the contrary, Halco Inc. is running a few of its vessels this year. The tankers are active, and OTTERCLIFFE HALL (the former ROYALTON) is out and running under her original name, complete with a fresh application of Halco paint on hull and stack.

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