The Major breaks up ice at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers on Thursday. (Photo provided by Scott Kitchen)

MARIETTA – As the ice in the Ohio River and local waterways continues to melt and break up, boat traffic is returning.

Heather Sands, captain and director of operations at the Valley Gem Sternwheeler in Marietta, said they are starting to be able to get their boats, the Valley Gem and the Major Riviera back on local rivers after being stationary for two weeks as the area saw low temperatures and ice accumulation.

“We have had a warm-up this week, and the ice has been getting thinner,” Sands said.

They have sent the Major out to break up some of the ice in the river and create a path for the Valley Gem to go through this weekend for Valentine’s Day cruises they had scheduled Friday and Saturday.

“The reason the Major is out clearing ice instead of the Valley Gem is because the boats are built differently,” Sands said. “They are both paddlewheel boats, and the bows are built a little differently.

“The Major’s bow is designed so the ice gets pushed to the side where the Valley Gem is flat and it goes over the ice more.”

As the ice thinned out with warmer temperatures and sunny days, the crew was able to cut some of the ice away and get the paddle wheel moving on the Major.

“The warm temperatures we had earlier in the week have helped ease it up a little bit,” Sands said.

“The ice is hard but not dangerous for passengers,” Sands said. “It tears up our paddle boards a little bit. We are going to have to replace those.”

Sands said they will have around 150 people going out on the Valentine’s Day cruises. This is the second year they have done this and the numbers are pretty consistent with what they had last year.

Although people might be concerned about the cooler temperatures, the boat’s cabin is heated, she said.

Over the past couple of weeks ice has been a concern on the river as the US Army Corps of Engineers closed the Willow Island Locks and Dam in late January as the ice build up prevented the miter gates on the main chamber from operating. The locks and dam opened back up to river traffic in early February.

Temperatures got up into the 50s earlier this week which resulted in a lot of snow melting.

Sands said clearing a path and breaking up the ice now allows the ice to keep flowing down river with the little bit of current available.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com.