See Lake Erie freighters seek safe harbor from high waves

CLEVELAND (WJW) — Winds were gusting so high that the NWS issued a Gale Warning Friday night that whipped up waves on Lake Erie to 13 feet.

Here are the top wind gusts, according to Fox 8 meteorologist MacKenzie Bart.

Photos: Strong winds take down trees, cause damage in NE Ohio

Photos of the huge ore carriers moving to safer waters can been seen below this wind gust reports graphic.

High swells and 13 foot waves on Lake Erie Friday night had captains of Great Lakes vessels, ore carriers and bulk carriers head for safer water and anchor near Sandusky to wait out the wind storm into Saturday morning.

The vessels were about 7 to 10 miles from shore.

Doug Kishman, owner of Mar-Dor Beach in Vermilion, is a photgrapher and expert on Lake Erie shipping.

Third time’s a charm! Stars and Stripes welcome another eaglet at Avon Lake nest

Kishman told Fox 8 News Saturday that Lake Erie is more like a bay near Sandusky and only 40 feet of water which can help break the large swells.

He said that can sometimes helps to block the strongest winds, depending on the direction the winds are blowing, to not be as strong due to the curvature of the shore in NW Ohio, unlike the open waters.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.