You can expect some traffic delays in downtown Sturgeon Bay as the winter fleet begins to pull into port. The James R. Barker was the first ship to arrive at Bay Shipbuilding earlier this weekend, kicking off what is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for the Sturgeon Bay shipyard.

At just over 1,000 feet long, the nearly 50-year-old vessel is one of the longest on the Great Lakes. Large bulk carriers take advantage of winter ice cover to head to Sturgeon Bay for maintenance and repairs. The boat traffic coincides with the closure of the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., which will be closed from January 15th until potentially March 25th.

With no list of ships or arrival schedule published for public viewing, residents will need to keep sites such as MarineTraffic or BoatNerd bookmarked to track where and when vessels like the James R. Barker arrive. The winter fleet season typically ends in late February or early March, when the spring shipping season begins.