The world's largest collection of self-unloaders, the Great Lakes fleet, is watching two events slowly unfold, one with alarm and the other with anticipation. Causing alarm are low water levels that for Lake Superior alone plunged to a new record low for the month of August this year, surpassing a previous low-water mark set in 1926. Fortunately, wetter than normal weather in September and October has seen the level of Lake Superior rise by about 6ins, although the levels of Lakes Michigan and Huron declined by 2ins during the same period. Going into the winter months the levels of Michigan and Huron are expected to be about 22ins below their long-term average, and 4ins lower than last year at this time. Lake Superior is now about 12ins below its long-term average but 5 ins above last year's level.
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