©1999-2009,
David D. Swayze,
Great
Unnamed vessels or
name unknown
————————————————————————±
U. S. Coast Guard motor buoy tender
Other names :
Official no. :
none
Type at loss :
steel motor buoy tender
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1967, May
Place of loss : on
Gravelly Shoal, W side of
Type of loss :
navigational error
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
navigational buoys
Detail :
This small CG vessel struck bottom and sank while placing buoys in the
spring. She was later raised.
Sources :
nsp,uscg
————————————————————————±
U. S. Coast Guard motor rescue boat
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
motor rescue boat, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1933, Apr 10
Place of loss :
Whitefish Bay
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
ice
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
none
Detail :
While on a rescue mission, this small rescue craft was caught in the ice
and crushed, a total loss.
Sources :
lssc
————————————————————————±
U. S. Coast Guard motor patrol boat
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
motor patrol boat, wood, probably a former yacht
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1947, May 29
Place of loss :
near Presque Isle, NW of Marquette, MI
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
none
Detail :
This Coast Guard vessel was attempting to aid the stranded gas screw
FAVORITE (qv) when her propeller fouled her tow cable. Helpless, the boat was
driven ashore and smashed.
Sources :
ms
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fishing boat, name unknown
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
commercial fishing boat
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1894
Place of loss : off
Powell Point
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
2
Carrying :
Detail :
This small vessel was reportedly lost
Sources :
gwgl
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French Warships
Detail :
The French reported having lost nine vessels on the Great Lakes in
combat with the British during the French & Indian War (i.e. Seven Year’s
War), 1755-62. Three are shown above: Le MARQUISE de VANDREUILL, L'IROQUOISE
(see JOHNSON) and OUTOUAISE (See WILLIAMSON), but the names of the others are
not reported. Two French vessels of
about 90 tons and a number of smaller craft were reportedly burned in 1755 in a
small bay on the downstream side of Grand Island [Burnt Ship Creek], Niagara
R., to keep them from falling into the hands of the British. There is little
contemporary support found for this report.
Sources :
hgl,lo,wmn
————————————————————————±
schooner, name unknown
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
schooner, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1900, Nov 18
Place of loss : 7
miles off Munising, MI
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying : ?
Detail : This schooner reportedly sank
in a heavy gale, but her crew were rescued by the tug WARD before the
Lifesaving Service crew was able to get to her. No mention is given of her
name.
Sources :
gwgl,nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed Montreal canoe
Other names :
Official no. :
none
Type at loss :
Montreal-type cargo canoe
Build info :
Specs :
36 ft, 3 to 4 t. cargo capacity
Date of loss :
1816, Aug 26
Place of loss : Whitefish
Bay
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
10
Carrying :
cargo, prisoners
Detail :
This large canoe capsized while under sail. Some of the lost were
reportedly prisoners being transported.
Sources :
ls,gwgl
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unnamed crane barge
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
crane barge
Build info :
Specs :
40 ft
Date of loss :
1982
Place of loss : 1/2
miles off Holland, MI
Lake : Michigan
Type of loss :
(storm)
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
Detail :
Sank, no detail.
Sources :
alm
————————————————————————±
unnamed drill rig barge
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
drill rig barge
Build info :
?
Specs : ?
Date of loss :
1958, Nov 5
Place of loss :
midlake off Erie, PA
Lake : Erie
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
5?
Carrying :
drilling equipment
Detail :
The barge was engaged in natural gas drilling when it went missing,
reportedly with five men aboard. U.S. Coast Guard sighted the barge two days
later, 15 miles off
Owned by
Underwater Gas Development Corp. of
Sources :
nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed dump scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
dump scow
Build info :
"new"
Specs :
Date of loss :
190(8), Oct 13 or 14
Place of loss : off
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
?
Carrying :
?
Detail :
She foundered in a storm. She was reported by fishermen the next day,
lying on her side in 35 feet of water, ¼ mile south of the
Sources :
nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed dump scow
Other names :
none
Official no. : ?
Type at loss :
dump scow-barge, steel
Build info :
?
Specs : ?
Date of loss :
1918, Aug 8
Place of loss :
Type of loss :
stranded
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
dedge tailings
Detail :
Engaged in dredging on the river, she broke her towline and headed for
the falls. Her two crewmen dumped her load and she stranded precariously about
2,500 feet above the falls. The men were finally rescued after 20 hours in an
heroic and dangerous rescue. The scow barge is still visible in the fast moving
current, but has deteriorated in recent years.
More detailed story, click here.
Sources :
nsp,net
————————————————————————±
unnamed ferry
Other names :
none
Official no. : C
none
Type at loss :
wood ferry, probably a small sailboat or sailing scow
Build info :
?
Specs :
"small"
Date of loss :
1839, Nov 25
Place of loss :
halfway between Wolfe Island dock and Kingston shipyard
Lake : Ontario
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
2 of 10 or 11
Carrying :
passengers, bagged wheat and oats
Detail :
This small Wolfe Island (called at the time "Long Island")
ferryboat capsized in a sudden squall, probably because her cargo shifted. Many
small boats were immediately launched to the rescue, and were able to save all
aboard except for two passengers, husband and wife, from Wolfe Island. The
ferry drifted away and broke up on the rocks, despite the efforts of the
steamer BROCKVILLE.
Sources :
nsp,ss,rnc
————————————————————————±
unnamed fishing vessel
Other names :
none
Official no. :
none
Type at loss :
fishing vessel of unreported type
Build info :
1853, Fairport
Specs : ?
Date of loss :
1853, May 19
Place of loss : 1
mi E of Fairport harbor
Lake : Erie
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
3 of 4
Carrying :
none
Detail :
As yet unnamed vessel was running her trials when she capsized in a
storm. One man survived by clinging to the wreckage. Master and owner: Capt.
William Kelley, Fairport.
Sources :
nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed lightship
Other names :
unknown
Official no. : C
Type at loss :
privately-owned lightship, wood
Build info :
?
Specs : ?
Date of loss :
1880, late fall
Place of loss :
Colchester Reef
Lake : Erie
Type of loss :
storm,ice
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
none
Detail :
Late in the fall the crew of the lightship asked Dominion officials that
she be relieved of her post, as the fall weather was worsening. The answer was
in the negative, and a few days later the lightship was shoved from the reef by
a storm and crushed by moving ice. Her crew was rescued with difficulty by a
local tug. The ship owners had much difficulty in collecting for their loss, as
the government disavowed any responsibility in the matter.
Sources :
es,wo
————————————————————————±
unnamed private lightship
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
private lightship, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1883, Nov 10 or 11
Place of loss : S
of Colchester Shoal
Lake : Erie
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
1
Carrying :
none
Detail :
A private lightship on station on Colchester Shoal, she was driven off
her station and disappeared. On the 13th it was said that she had gone to
pieces, after the tugs BOB HACKETT and SWAIN had searched for her. Much concern
was felt at Detroit for her keeper, Capt. James Forrest. By the 23rd
the ship was reported to be lying all over the reef and Capt Forrest was
presumed lost. His body was not found until June of the following year.
Sources : nsp,es,eb
————————————————————————±
unnamed Pile Driver
Other names :
none
Official no. : ?
Type at loss :
pile driver, wood
Build info :
?
Specs :
?
Date of loss :
1892, Aug 18
Place of loss :
near Muskallonge Lake Lifesaving Station
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
none
Detail : Sprang a leak and foundered in
a gale. USLS saved her one crewman, as they had done on July 15 of the same
year, when the same thing had happened.
Sources :
usls,gwgl
————————————————————————*NEW*
unnamed schooner
Other names : ?
Official no. : ?
Type at loss : schooner,
wood, 2-mast
Build info :
probably early 1800’s
Specs : 55x15x?
Date of loss : ?
Place of loss : off
Oak Orchard, NY
Type of loss : ?
Loss of life : ?
Carrying :
No cargo found
Detail :
Located by sonar in 2008. No shipwreck incident has yet been associated
with this wreckage.
The beamy little
schooner has two “daggerboards” [drop-keels] protruding through the deck.
Sources :
jk
————————————————————————±
unnamed scows (2)
Other names :
none
Official no. :
none
Type at loss :
scows, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1851, Sep 13
Place of loss :
Braddock's Bay, near Genessee, NY
Lake : Ontario
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
Detail :
Sheltered from a storm in Braddocks Bay, with the small sidewheeler GEORGE CLINTON (qv). The CLINTON left one of
the scows at anchor and made arun d=for open water with the other, but both
were lost. The CLINTON was also wrecked. Owned by Ontario Steam and Canal Boat
Co., Oswego
Sources :
nsp,wmn
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
scow, wood
Build info :
Specs : "small"
Date of loss :
1882, Oct 24
Place of loss : at
Whitefish Point
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
lumber camp supplies
Detail :
This small scow was in tow of the yacht/supply boat GRACE (qv) when that
vessel's engine failed in a storm enroute to Goulais Bay. The scow eventually came ashore and was
subsequently towed to Whitefish Point, where she pounded to pieces in the
waves.
Sources :
nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
scow, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1897, Oct 24
Place of loss : off
“old Chicago”, Chicago harbor
Lake : Michigan
Type of loss :
unreported
Loss of life :
1
Carrying :
?
Detail :
This unnamed vessel sank in Chicago harbor with the loss of one life.
Sources :
h
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names : seen in some sources as “Perry & Co.”
Official no. : ?
Type at loss :
wooden scow
Build info :
?
Specs :
?
Date of loss :
1900, Nov 20
Place of loss : E
of Grand Marais, at Deer Park, Mich
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
5
Carrying :
steel rails
Detail : In tow of the tug ANDREW J.
SMITH, she swamped and foundered in a gale. She had pulled away from her dock
during unloading to keep her from washing ashore. The five men lost were all lumbermen and were
accidentally trapped aboard when the tug pulled out. Owned by D. N. McLeod of
Newberry, Mich.
Sources :
gwgl,lssc,nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names : ?
Official no. : ?
Type at loss :
wooden scow
Build info :
?
Specs :
?
Date of loss :
1900, Nov 20
Place of loss : off
Whitefish Point
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
200 tons steel rails
Detail : In tow of the tug ANDREW J.
SMITH, she swamped and foundered in a gale. Owned by Frank Perry of Sault Ste.
Marie, Mich.
Sources :
gwgl,lssc,nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
scow, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1902, May 2
Place of loss :
Duluth harbor
Lake : Superior
Type of loss :
unreported
Loss of life :
1
Carrying :
?
Detail :
She sank in the harbor with the loss of one life.
Sources :
gwgl,lss,is
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
scow, wood
Build info :
Specs : “large”
Date of loss :
1895, May 20
Place of loss :
bet. Hammond’s bay and Cheboygan, Mich
Lake :
Huron
Type of loss :
capsized
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
lumber camp equipment, 22 lumberjacks
Detail :
In tow of the tug DANA on a short open lake trip, she capsized and began
to founder. Quick thinking on the part of the DANA’s skipper is credited with
saving all aboard.
Sources :
nsp
————————————————————————±
unnamed scow
Other names :
Official no. :
Type at loss :
scow, wood
Build info :
Specs :
Date of loss :
1902, Oct 26
Place of loss : off
Vermilion Pt.
Type of loss :
storm
Loss of life :
none
Carrying :
?
Detail :
This small vessel broke up and foundered in a storm off Vermilion Pt.
Her crewmen made it to shore safely.
Sources :
lss,is
————————————————————————±
unnamed vessel
Other names : none
Official no. : none
Type at loss : sailing vessel
Build info : ?
Specs : ?
Date of loss : 1805, Dec
Place of loss : mouth of
Type of loss : storm
Loss of life : 4
Carrying : general cargo
Detail : The vessel, bound from
Sources : wl