The Madeline Island Ferry Line hoped to shut down on Friday, but the mild weekend put the plans on hold. Joe Gigliotti reports.

The Island wind sled will have to wait at least a couple more days to slide across the frozen water between Madeline Island and Bayfield. Ferry Line Financial Director Robin Trinko-Russell says the ice isn’t quite ready yet.

“A little bit of warmer weather and the operators of the wind sled are making sure that the approaches can handle the machine – the weight of the machine – and those kinds of things.”

The new plan is to run the regularly scheduled Ferry trips through Wednesday. Trinko-Russell says this day-to-day watch isn’t anything new to the Ferry staff.

“We usually go through this every year. We plan to shut down one day and then it’s basically one or two days at a time.”

On Saturday, a 34-year-old man died after falling through the ice between Ashland and Madeline Island while snowmobiling. Trinko-Russell urges anyone planning to travel on ice to take every precaution.

“Anybody wanting to travel on the ice or the ice road over at Bayfield, is advised to check with the Bayfield or the Island Chamber or call our office. Stay off the ice until you check with someone who knows, and just be very careful.”

The Madeline Island Ferry has not had a winter shutdown since March of 2011.

• Mixed reactions from businesses, customers in early Tower Avenue construction stages - 5/22/2013
• Flood of emails protest GTac application for a license to explore - 5/22/2013
• Indian tribal elders fighting iron mine through drum, ceremony - 5/21/2013
• Civil disobedience training camp held to stop iron ore mine - 5/21/2013
• Senate bill would get shovels digging in Great Lakes - 5/21/2013