Harbour

George Kemp Downtown Marina

Name: George Kemp Downtown Marina
Address: Sault Ste. Marie, US
Telephone: +19066357670

Sault Ste. Marie, United StatesGreat Lakes

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Type: Harbour

Municipal marina of 58 berths on the St Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, just below the Soo Locks.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Sited on the American side of the St Marys River, downstream of the Soo Locks. Reach it from the Lower St Marys River shipping channel, then turn into the basin off East Water Street. Mean basin depth around 9 feet. Watch for heavy freighter traffic in the main channel.

Practical

58 berths for vessels up to 100 feet. Fresh water and 30 or 50 amp shore power at each berth, midgrade petrol and diesel, and a pumpout. Showers, heads and loaner bikes. Downtown restaurants and shops within walking distance. Bookings through the Michigan DNR reservation system.

Ashore

Soo Locks Visitor Center about 400 metres along the riverfront, with a viewing platform over the lock chambers. Museum Ship Valley Camp, a retired Great Lakes freighter, is moored nearby. The downtown shops of Portage Avenue are a few minutes on foot.

History

The Kemp coal dock office on the site was built in 1904 by Sault businessman George Kemp, who owned the waterfront between the Edison power house and the Coast Guard station. Kemp Brothers Coal Company traded here until 1959. The city took over the land in 1960 and the old office reopened as the Kemp Industrial Museum in 2007.