Numerous sources have reported that the 2021 River Shipping Season has unofficially opened with the passing of the Clayton R. McWhorter through Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings over the weekend. The tow is the first vessel of the 2021 navigation season to pass through Lake Pepin. Located between the Minnesota cities of Red Wing and Wabasha, Lake Pepin is the last major barrier for vessels reaching the head of the navigation channel in St. Paul. The locking through also signifies the completion of extensive repairs done to the lock during the off-season, which included replacing the aged lock gates.
(Clayton R. McWhorter. Photo Credit: Harrison Benjamin)
