SARNIA, Ont. – Authorities say bad weather and warnings around COVID-19 have led to a drop in crowds in an annual pipeline in the river separating Sarnia, Ontario, from Port Huron, Michigan.
The Canadian Coast Guard said about 30 Canadians and between 300 and 400 Americans participated in the decades-long occasion Sunday known as Float Down.
Incident commander Kathleen Getty said so since years ago when thousands of people took part.
Getty says the unauthorized occasion is damaging in peak productive conditions, but other people should heed warnings about COVID-19 and Sunday’s stormy weather.
Officials noted that the border between the two countries remains closed and that it would possibly be difficult to reach a physical distance in open water.
The RCMP warned that the consequences of crossing the maritime border to Canada for optional or discretionary purposes, such as sightseeing, sightseeing and recreational fishing, can result in fines of up to $750,000 or imprisonment of up to six months.