The history of commercial passenger shipping on the Great Lakes is long but uneven. It reached its zenith between the mid-19th century and the 1950s. As early as 1844, palace steamers carried passengers and cargo around the Great Lakes. By 1900, fleets of relatively luxurious passenger steamers plied the waters of the lower lakes, especially the major industrial centres of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto

Sources disagree as to which was the first steamboat on the Great Lakes. Some say it was the Canadian built Frontenac (170 feet), launched on September 7, 1816, at Ernestown, Ontario (about 18 miles from Kingston). Others say it was the U.S. built Ontario (110 feet), launched in the spring of 1817 at Sacketts Harbor, New York. It appears that while the Frontenac was launched first, the Ontario began active service first. The Ontario began its regular service in April, 1817, and the Frontenac made its first trip to the head of the lake on June 5.^[1]

The first steamboat on the upper Great Lakes was the passenger carrying Walk-In-The-Water, built in 1818 to navigate Lake Erie. It was a success and more vessels like it followed. Steamboats on the lakes grew in size and number, and additional decks were built on the superstructure to allow more capacity. This inexpensive method of adding capacity was adapted from river steamboats and successfully applied to lake-going craft.

The Erie Canal opened in 1825, allowing settlers from New England and New York to reach Michigan by water through Albany and Buffalo. This route opening and the incorporation of Chicago in 1837,^[2] increased  Great Lakes steamboat traffic from Detroit through the straits of Mackinaw to Chicago. ^{[3]  [4]}

 

City of Cleveland (circa 1941)

The screw propeller was introduced to the Great Lakes by Vandalia in 1842 and allowed the building of a new class of combination passenger and freight carrier. The first of these "package and passenger freighters", Hercules, was built in Buffalo, New York, in 1843. Hercules displayed all the features that defined the type, a screw propelled the vessel, passengers were accommodated in staterooms on the upper deck, and package freight below on the large main deck and in the holds.

Engines developed as well. Compound engines, in which steam was expanded twice for greater efficiency, were first used on the Great Lakes in 1869. Triple-expansion engines, for even greater efficiency, were introduced in 1887 and quadruple-expansion engines, the ultimate type of reciprocating engine for speed, power and efficiency, appeared on the lakes in 1894.

Steamboat lines were established by railroads on the Great lakes to join railheads in the 1850s. This service carried goods and passengers from railroads in the East across the length of the lakes to railroads for the journey West. Railroads bought and built steamship lines to complement railroad services. One such railroad-owned steamship line was formed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1865 to connect their terminals at Buffalo to those of the Northern Pacific Railroad at Duluth, Minnesota. This new line, owned by the Erie and Western Transportation Co., became the well-known Anchor Line. The Northern Pacific started its own Northern Steamship Company which, from the mid-1890s, operated the steamers, North Land and North West on 7-day round trip cruises between Buffalo to Duluth.^[5] Travelers could disembark at several points and were allowed to finish their voyage later in the season.

A significant industry in leisure cruising arose beginning in the late 19th century, providing large passenger vessels for travel to summer resorts and hotels in the north woods, away from the polluted cities. Summer hotels such as the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and Ottawa Beach near Holland, Michigan as well as cottage resorts like Harbor Beach and Petoskey, Michigan had regular steamship service. The passenger steamers were also used as charters for day trips. Infamous among these are the Lady Elgin which sank in 1861 with 300 lives lost, Eastland, which capsized in the Chicago River in 1915 with the loss of hundreds of lives, and the Noronic, which burned at the wharf in Toronto in September 1949 with the loss of 119 lives. While the ship had been known as the 'Queen of the Great Lakes' it is now also a symbol of the end of passenger cruises on the Great Lakes. The S.S. North American and S.S. South American would continue to sail until 1967 when South American made a final run delivering passengers to the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal.

In 1915, the anti-monopoly provisions of section 11 of the Panama Canal Act of 1912, ch. 390, 37 Stat. 560, 566 (August 24, 1912), which prohibited railroads under most circumstances from owning steamships, went into effect.  As a result, railroad-owned company fleets were sold to buyers with no ownership interest in railways because under the new law railroads had to divest themselves of their marine divisions on the lakes.  Under this divestiture law, the Milwaukee Clipper, for instance, was sold by the Anchor Line along with four other railroad-owned company fleets to the newly formed Great Lakes Transit Corporation.  Under this flag, the Clipper carried passengers along her old route until retired in 1970.

Before trains and, later, cars became prevalent, summer vacation areas in more remote areas around the Great Lakes were accessible primarily only by steamer.  Northern Michigan's tourist and resort areas began to grow in this manner in the late 1890s.

In the late 19th century, many early tourists arrived at Northern Michigan resort areas via a Lake Michigan steamship.   Chicago to Harbor Springs, Michigan, was a popular trip for many passengers.  An elegant ship named the Manitou would make the trip in 24 hours.  In 1898, the fare was $5.00, with  meals and berth extra. Two other popular ships were the Petoskey and the Charlevoix; their time to Harbor Springs was 40 hours.  The cost to take these boats in 1898 was $7.00, with meals and berth included.  Early steamships stopped at Harbor Springs due to its naturally protected and very deep harbor; later, they added a stop in Petoskey.

During the period between 1910 and 1931, crowds would gather at the Glen Haven docks on Saturdays and Sundays. Motorcoaches awaited newly arriving resort guests while many summer home residents rode to the docks to meet husbands or fathers arriving from the Chicago area. "They leave Chicago Friday night," explained a tourist publication, "and get here the next morning; first stop. They're with their families until Sunday night when the boat takes 'em back again, ready for the job. Great for 'em!"^[6]

The author Ernest Hemingway spent the majority of his first 22 summers in Northern Michigan, around Petoskey. He often traveled by steamer from Chicago to Harbor Springs, a voyage that would take 32 hours.

Major lines on the Great Lakes included the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company in the U.S., and in Canada, the Northern Navigation Company (later absorbed by Canada Steamship Lines). Some were affiliated with railway companies such as the Ann Arbor Railroad, the Grand Trunk Railway, and the Pere Marquette Railway (absorbed in 1947 into the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway). On Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, the ships of the Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited have shuttled passengers since 1921.

Accidents involving vessels are not new to the oceans and seas across the planet. Storms, icebergs, and many other reasons have left thousands of shipwrecks lying on the seabed. However, it’s just not the oceans and seas where the vessels meet with accidents. Some of the fresh-water bodies around the world have also witnessed a significant number of vessels sinking and resting under the water for years.  The Great Lakes of North America is one of such prominent fresh-water bodies.The Great Lakes, located in North America on the border of Canada–US, form an important internal navigable channel in the Central North American region. Connecting the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrence River, the Great Lake consists of five water bodies including Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan,  Erie, and Ontario. Being the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world by total area, the Great Lakes have a history of marine transportation since the 17^th century. However, traversing through these water areas isn’t easy and many ships in the past have succumbed and irrevocably lost in their swirling depths. Having the sea-like features such as rolling waves, strong currents and great depths, these water bodies, also known as inland seas, offers a difficult time for sailors when traversing through the region.

Many of the early sinking were do to Boilers exploding or fires on board.

Keewatin was one of five ships owned by Canadian Pacific. The Assiniboia ( sister twin), Alberta, Manitoba, and Athabasca . Began in 1886 this line of ships populated the west and were specifically responsible for the economic development of Alberta and Saskatchewan that brought them into Confederation in 1905 by providing vast numbers of immigrants plus equipment and supplies and carrying millions of tons of grain to market in the east on their downward trips.

S.S. Keewatin began her service in the Canadian Pacific Railroad Great Lakes Steamship fleet in 1907. Built in Glasgow, Scotland on the Clyde, by the same culture and Edwardian tradition as RMS Titanic (built in Belfast Northern Ireland) and five years older than the Titanic herself, Keewatin was designed with comfort, class and beauty in mind as she transported passengers and freight on a two and a half day journey across the Great Lakes from Port McNicoll to Fort William and Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) Ontario.

Thanks in part to improvement in shipping technology throughout the 1950s, companies opted to ship their goods via train, plane and truck rather than relying upon ships for transport. Also markets in the Orient diverted much of the Canadian grain to west coast ports. The three older ships were scrapped and Keewatin with her sister Assiniboia began to focus more upon tourist passenger transport as well as carrying still substantial grain loads at 1600 tons per trip each.

However in 1949, strict regulations were imposed on wooden cabin steamships on the Great Lakes following the SS Noronic fire disaster in Toronto, which took the lives of over a hundred tourists. Like many passenger ships of that era on the Great Lakes, the Keewatin operated under fire codes and rules imposed for wooden cabin steamships. Doomed by her wooden cabins and superstructure and with passengers opting for more reliable and faster modes of travel, Keewatin was laid up and retired on November 28, 1965 at Port McNicoll, finished forever and waiting to be scrapped.

In 1967 the Kee was saved from an ignoble end when R J Peterson of Douglas, Michigan, purchased her. Scrap dealers were preparing to render her parts for melting and antiques. A marina owner and Great Lakes Historian, Mr. Peterson borrowed the funds, bought the ship and the SS KEEWATIN was towed by tug to Lake Kalamazoo, actually a wide turn in the Kalamazoo River where it empties into Lake Michigan. There she was established as a Maritime Museum and was lovingly cared for by The Petersons for 45 years. In August of 2011, with the financial assistance of Port McNicoll developer Gil Blutrich, the Friends of Keewatin had the opportunity to purchase Keewatin from an aging Peterson and with a camera crew in tow spent 10 months digging her out of the little lake in Michigan. In June of 2012, the “Kee” made her triumphant return to Port McNicoll to the delight of thousands of waiting fans.

he Keewatin now stands not only as the last remaining Great Lakes Passenger liner, but as the last of the Edwardian built passenger liner steamships in the world. Representative of a bygone era and an attention to craftsmanship and opulence we won’t soon see again, the “Kee” is a true symbol of growth and development in North America and a treasured piece of Canadian history.

I took the pictures of the SS Keewatin in the next post at Port McNicoll on the weekend but couldn't get far enough back from it with my little camera in get it all in one shot.

Sorry my pictures are too big to post so here's a couple of videos instead.

Firefighter Tom Benson recalled, “We got aboard at daylight and there were bodies everywhere. Some were cremated with just a skull or backbone remaining. The intensity of the heat was such that human bone was incinerated.”

The Steamship Noronic was the flagship of the Canada Steamship Lines and the largest passenger cruise ship on the Great Lakes. After more than a thousand safe voyages, the end came in an inferno at Pier 9 in Toronto, where the ship had docked on the night of September 16 while in route to Prescott and the Thousand Islands. A passenger first noticed smoke coming from a small linen closet around 2:30 a.m. Fire spread with the speed of a struck match. The Toronto Fire Department arrived within minutes, but the heat was so intense that the water from the fire hoses vaporized before it reached the ship's hull. The next morning crews began the grim task of recovering victims. The death toll would be 118, with 104 dead and 14 missing.

The tragedy spelled the end of an era, as strict regulations hastened the end of the old Great Lakes passenger ships—it would be prohibitively expensive to retrofit the old cruise vessels.

More than a month after the tragedy, the Noronic was re-floated, towed out of Toronto Harbour and on to a scrapyard in Hamilton, Ontario. 

The Noronic fire remains Toronto’s deadliest disaster.

Ships that were lost on Lake Erie. Long point is a piece of land sticking out into the Lake on the Canadian side.

Lake Erie[edit]

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
17 Fathom wreck		Lying on a silt bottom at 105 feet http://www.eriewrecks.com/shipwrecks/17fathom/17fathom.html	42°39′N 80°03′W / 42.650°N 80.050°W / 42.650; -80.050 (17 Fathom wreck)
Admiral	1942, Dec 2	14 died. Towing barge CLEVECO (qv), she encountered a heavy gale & began to founder. She radioed in, but C.G. was unable to locate her in the murk before she went down. Owned by Cleveland Tankers, Cleveland. Wreck located by a commercial diver in 1969.	41°38′N 81°54′W / 41.633°N 81.900°W / 41.633; -81.900 (Admiral)
Adventure			41°38′N 82°41′W / 41.633°N 82.683°W / 41.633; -82.683 (Adventure)
SS Algeria			41°31′N 81°42′W / 41.517°N 81.700°W / 41.517; -81.700 (SS Algeria)
Alva B.			41°30′N 82°01′W / 41.500°N 82.017°W / 41.500; -82.017 (Alva B.)
America			41°49′N 82°38′W / 41.817°N 82.633°W / 41.817; -82.633 (America)
Angler	1893	A tug that caught fire and sank in Long Point.
PS Anthony Wayne	28 April 1850	A wooden hulled paddle steamer that sank after her boilers exploded. She is the oldest steamboat wreck on the Great Lakes.	41°31.00′N 82°23.00′W / 41.51667°N 82.38333°W / 41.51667; -82.38333 (PS Anthony Wayne)
PS Atlantic	20 August 1852	Paddlewheel steamer rammed and sunk off Long Point in the fifth-worst single-vessel disaster to ever occur on the Great Lakes.	42°30′N 80°05′W / 42.500°N 80.083°W / 42.500; -80.083 (Steamship Atlantic)
Arches			42°27′N 80°01′W / 42.450°N 80.017°W / 42.450; -80.017 (Arches)
Argo	October 20, 1937	tank barge sank off Pelee Island with cargo of oil, considered one of the greatest pollution risks on the Lakes[3]
Armenia
Aycliffe Hall	1936	Sank off Long Point.
Bay Coal Schooner			41°33′N 81°56′W / 41.550°N 81.933°W / 41.550; -81.933 (Bay Coal Schooner)
Bow Cabin			41°56′N 82°14′W / 41.933°N 82.233°W / 41.933; -82.233 (Bow Cabin)
British Lion	1877	Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed the Mediera and Elize A. Turner.
Brown Brothers	1959	Sank off Long Point.	42°37′N 80°00′W / 42.617°N 80.000°W / 42.617; -80.000 (Brown Brothers (ship))
Brunswick			42°35′N 79°24′W / 42.583°N 79.400°W / 42.583; -79.400 (Brunswick)
Canobie			42°10′N 80°00′W / 42.167°N 80.000°W / 42.167; -80.000 (Canobie)
Carlingford			42°39′N 79°28′W / 42.650°N 79.467°W / 42.650; -79.467 (Carlingford)
Cascade
Case
C.B. Benson			42°46′N 79°14′W / 42.767°N 79.233°W / 42.767; -79.233 (C.B. Benson)
C.B. Lockwood		Discovered to have sunk below Lake Erie's bottom[4]	41°56′N 81°23′W / 41.933°N 81.383°W / 41.933; -81.383 (C.B. Lockwood)
Cecil J.			42°45′N 80°13′W / 42.750°N 80.217°W / 42.750; -80.217 (Cecil J.)
Charger
Charles B. Packard
Charles H. Davis			41°30′N 81°43′W / 41.500°N 81.717°W / 41.500; -81.717 (Charles H. Davis)
Charles Foster			42°10′N 80°15′W / 42.167°N 80.250°W / 42.167; -80.250 (Charles Foster)
City of Concord
City of Dresden	1922	Ran aground off Long Point.
Clarion
Cleveco			41°47′N 81°36′W / 41.783°N 81.600°W / 41.783; -81.600 (Cleveco)
Colonel Cook
Colonial
Conemaugh
Craftsman			41°31′N 82°00′W / 41.517°N 82.000°W / 41.517; -82.000 (Craftsman)
Crete			42°10′N 80°00′W / 42.167°N 80.000°W / 42.167; -80.000 (Crete)
David Stewart
David Vance
Dean Richmond			42°17′N 79°55′W / 42.283°N 79.917°W / 42.283; -79.917 (Dean Richmond)
Dundee			41°41′N 81°50′W / 41.683°N 81.833°W / 41.683; -81.833 (Dundee)
Dunkirk Schooner Site		An early unidentified schooner lying off Dunkirk, New York	42°33′0″N 79°36′0″W / 42.55000°N 79.60000°W / 42.55000; -79.60000 (Dunkirk Schooner Site)
Duke Luedtke			41°41′N 81°57′W / 41.683°N 81.950°W / 41.683; -81.950 (Duke Luedtke)
Eldorado			42°10′N 80°00′W / 42.167°N 80.000°W / 42.167; -80.000 (Eldorado)
Elize A. Turner	1877	Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed the British Lion and Madiera.
Elphicke	1913	Ran aground off Long Point.
Empire	1870	Ran aground off Long Point.
Erieau Quarry Stone			42°15′N 81°54′W / 42.250°N 81.900°W / 42.250; -81.900 (Erieau Quarry Stone)
F.A. Meyer			41°55′N 82°02′W / 41.917°N 82.033°W / 41.917; -82.033 (F.A. Meyer)
Fannie L. Jones			41°30′N 81°43′W / 41.500°N 81.717°W / 41.500; -81.717 (Fannie L. Jones)
Frank E. Vigor			41°57′N 81°57′W / 41.950°N 81.950°W / 41.950; -81.950 (Frank E. Vigor)
George Dunbar			41°40′N 82°33′W / 41.667°N 82.550°W / 41.667; -82.550 (George Dunbar)
George Stone
George Worthington
SS G. P. Griffith	18 June 1850	Between 241 and 289 lives lost.  Third-greatest loss of life in any Great Lakes shipping disaster.
Grand Traverse
H.A. Barr			42°09′N 81°23′W / 42.150°N 81.383°W / 42.150; -81.383 (H.A. Barr)
Henry Roop	12 October 1843	A schooner lost in a storm.
H.G. Cleveland
Hickory Stick			41°32′N 82°06′W / 41.533°N 82.100°W / 41.533; -82.100 (Hickory Stick)
Idaho	1897	Ran aground off Long Point.
Indiana			42°17′N 79°59′W / 42.283°N 79.983°W / 42.283; -79.983 (Indiana)
Isabella J. Boyce	June 1917	A sandsucker which grounded on Middle Bass Island in Lake Erie, caught fire, and sunk in 10 feet (3.0 m) of water. No lives were lost.
Ivanhoe			41°33′N 82°02′W / 41.550°N 82.033°W / 41.550; -82.033 (Ivanhoe)
James B. Colgate	20 October 1916	A whaleback steamer that sank off Long Point, in a storm that also took the SS Merida (lake freighter).	42°05′N 81°44′W / 42.083°N 81.733°W / 42.083; -81.733 (James B. Colgate (ship))
James J. Reed	1944	Sank off Long Point.
Jay Gould			41°51′N 82°24′W / 41.850°N 82.400°W / 41.850; -82.400 (Jay Gould)
Jennie P. King	1866	Foundered off Long Point.
Jersey City	1860	Foundered off Long Point.
J.G. McGrath			42°40′N 79°23′W / 42.667°N 79.383°W / 42.667; -79.383 (J.G. McGrath)
J.J. Boland Jr.			42°22′N 79°43′W / 42.367°N 79.717°W / 42.367; -79.717 (J.J. Boland Jr.)
John B. Griffin
John B. Lyon
John Pridgeon Jr.			41°35′N 81°58′W / 41.583°N 81.967°W / 41.583; -81.967 (John Pridgeon Jr.)
Jorge B.
Joseph Paige	14 October 1893	Ran aground off Long Point, in a gale that also took the Wocoken.
Lawrence	1921	Ran aground off Long Point.
Lake Serpent	1829
Little Wissahickon			41°54′N 81°56′W / 41.900°N 81.933°W / 41.900; -81.933 (Little Wissahickon)
Lycoming			42°15′N 81°53′W / 42.250°N 81.883°W / 42.250; -81.883 (Lycoming)
Mabel Wilson			41°30′N 81°43′W / 41.500°N 81.717°W / 41.500; -81.717 (Mabel Wilson)
Madiera	1877	Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed the British Lion and Elize A. Turner.
Magnet
Margaret Olwill	June 28, 1899	Overloaded with limestone, the load shifted during an unexpected June gale and the ship was capsized by waves when the steering chains broke.  At least eight people perished.
Marquette & Bessemer No. 2	December 1909
Marshall F. Butters			41°43′N 82°17′W / 41.717°N 82.283°W / 41.717; -82.283 (Marshall F. Butters)
Mecosta			41°31′N 81°53′W / 41.517°N 81.883°W / 41.517; -81.883 (Mecosta)
Merida	16 October 1916	A Ward Line steamer that sank off Long Point in a storm that also took the James B. Colgate.	42°13′N 81°20′W / 42.217°N 81.333°W / 42.217; -81.333 (Meria (ship))
Morania	29 October 1951	Also includes Penobscot. Closest shipwreck to Buffalo River
M.I. Wilcox
Morning Star			41°36′N 82°12′W / 41.600°N 82.200°W / 41.600; -82.200 (Morning Star)
Mystic	1907	Sank off Long Point.
New Brunswick
Niagara	1899	Ran aground off Long Point.
North Carolina			41°43′N 81°22′W / 41.717°N 81.367°W / 41.717; -81.367 (North Carolina)
Northern Indiana	July 17, 1856	Caught fire near Point au Pelee, Lake Erie, while en route from Buffalo to Monroe, Michigan.[5] 56 lives lost.	41°53′N 82°30′W / 41.883°N 82.500°W / 41.883; -82.500 (Northern Indiana)
Oneida			42°13′N 79°51′W / 42.217°N 79.850°W / 42.217; -79.850 (Oneida)
Oxford			42°28′N 79°51′W / 42.467°N 79.850°W / 42.467; -79.850 (Oxford)
Paddy Murphy
Pascal P. Pratt	1908	Ran aground off Long Point.	42°33′N 80°05′W / 42.550°N 80.083°W / 42.550; -80.083 (Pascal P. Pratt (ship))
Passaic			42°28′N 79°27′W / 42.467°N 79.450°W / 42.467; -79.450 (Passaic)
Penelope			41°31′N 82°02′W / 41.517°N 82.033°W / 41.517; -82.033 (Penelope)
Philip D. Armour			42°07′N 80°10′W / 42.117°N 80.167°W / 42.117; -80.167 (Philip D. Armour)
Philip Minch			41°41′N 82°30′W / 41.683°N 82.500°W / 41.683; -82.500 (Philip Minch)
Pocahontas	1862	Foundered off Long Point.
Queen of the West			41°50′N 82°23′W / 41.833°N 82.383°W / 41.833; -82.383 (Queen of the West)
Raleigh	29 November 1911	During a storm, the rudder broke and she ran aground about 1 mile off Wildwood Road, Sherkston, Ontario in 30 feet of water.
Rebecca Foster	1857	Foundered off Long Point.
Robert			42°15′N81°49′W / 42.25°N 81.81°W / 42.25; -81.81 (Robert)
S.F. Gale			41°44′N 81°52′W / 41.733°N 81.867°W / 41.733; -81.867 (S.F. Gale)
S.K. Martin			42°14′N 79°56′W / 42.233°N 79.933°W / 42.233; -79.933 (S.K. Martin)
St. James		Sank of unknown cause off Long Point in Lake Erie; discovered 1984.	42°27′N 80°07′W / 42.450°N 80.117°W / 42.450; -80.117 (St. James)
Sand Merchant			41°34′N 82°57′W / 41.567°N 82.950°W / 41.567; -82.950 (Sand Merchant)
Sarah E. Sheldon			41°29′N 82°06′W / 41.483°N 82.100°W / 41.483; -82.100 (Sarah E. Sheldon)
Siberia	1883	A schooner that ran aground off Long Point.
Siberia	1905	Ran aground off Long Point.
Smith		A tugboat that sank under tow off Long Point, Lake Erie.
Specular
Success			41°31′N 82°54′W / 41.517°N 82.900°W / 41.517; -82.900 (Success)
Sultan	24 September 1864	Lost in a storm off of Cleveland	41°36′N 81°37′W / 41.600°N 81.617°W / 41.600; -81.617 (Sultan)
T-8			42°35′N 80°01′W / 42.583°N 80.017°W / 42.583; -80.017 (T-8)
Tasmania			41°47′N 82°29′W / 41.783°N 82.483°W / 41.783; -82.483 (Tasmania)
Tire Reef			42°41′N 80°08′W / 42.683°N 80.133°W / 42.683; -80.133 (Tire reef)
Trade Wind		A schooner that collided with the Sir Charles Napier off Long Point.	42°25′N 80°12′W / 42.417°N 80.200°W / 42.417; -80.200 (Trade Wind (ship))
Tug Smith			42°28′N 79°59′W / 42.467°N 79.983°W / 42.467; -79.983 (Tug Smith)
Two Fannies			41°33′N 81°55′W / 41.550°N 81.917°W / 41.550; -81.917 (Two Fannies)
Unknown			42°08′N 81°37′W / 42.133°N 81.617°W / 42.133; -81.617
Valentine			41°55′N 81°54′W / 41.917°N 81.900°W / 41.917; -81.900 (Valentine)
Washington Irving			42°32′N 79°27′W / 42.533°N 79.450°W / 42.533; -79.450 (Washington Irving (schooner))
Wild Rover		Foundered off Long Point.
William H. Vanderbilt	1883	Ran aground off Long Point.
Willis
Wilma			42°42′N 80°02′W / 42.700°N 80.033°W / 42.700; -80.033 (Wilma)
Wocoken	14 October 1893	Ran aground off Long Point in a gale that also took the Joseph Paige.
Young Phoenix	1818	Sank off Long Point, Lake Erie.

Lake Huron[edit]

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates	Image
Arabia	October 1884	Barque that foundered of Echo Island near Tobermory, Ontario in 120 feet of water.
SS Argus	November 9, 1913	Wreckage found near Bayfield Ontario Canada
CC Martin	1911	Tug lost with barge Albatross during storm off French River, ten lives lost.	45°30′56″N81°04′13″W / 45.51555°N 81.070277°W / 45.51555; -81.070277 (CC Martin)
SS Cedarville	7 May 1965	A bulk carrier that collided with SS Topdalsfjord in the Straits of Mackinac.	45°47.235′N 85°40.248′W / 45.787250°N 85.670800°W / 45.787250; -85.670800
SS Charles S. Price	15 November 1913	Capsized in the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Sighted floating upside-down November 10, 1913 identified as Charles S. Price before it sank on November 15, 1913. Wreck was not found until the 60s when it was found by Resbert R. Martin.	43°11.89980′N 82°23.89980′W / 43.19833000°N 82.39833000°W / 43.19833000; -82.39833000
SS Choctaw	12 February 1915	Sank in a collision with the SS Wahcondah.
City of Grand Rapids	29 October 1907	The City of Grand Rapids was a double decker passenger streamer that caught fire while docked in Little Tub Harbour. For the security of the harbour, the Grand Rapids was towed out into Georgian Bay and released to burn. From there she drifted to the head of Big Tub Harbour where she burnt to the waterline and sank.
Cornelia B. Windiate	27 November 1875	Iced up and slowly sank in a storm after passing through the Straits of Mackinac.
SS Daniel J. Morrell	29 November 1966	Broke in two in a storm on Lake Huron, with the aft section coming to rest five miles from the bow.	43°51′00″N82°35′24″W / 43.850°N 82.590°W / 43.850; -82.590 (SS Daniel J. Morrell)
Dorcas Pendell	6th July 1914	Shallow water shipwreck located in the harbor of Harbor Beach, Michigan. The Dorcas Pendell was a schooner built in 1884 and burned in place on July 6th 1914 after running aground.
SS D.R. Hanna	16 May 1919	A 552-foot (168 m) long steel freighter that sank in a collision with the Quincy A. Shaw.
Emma L. Nielson	26 June 1911	Collision in fog off Pointe Aux Barques.
Erie Belle	21 November 1883	A steamship that exploded while attempting to rescue the stranded schooner J. N. Carter.	44°09′24″N81°39′32″W / 44.156741°N 81.658997°W / 44.156741; -81.658997 (Erie Belle)
Exchange
Forest City	5 June 1904	Ran aground in foggy weather near south east end of Bear's Rump Island in Georgian Bay near Tobermory. Smashed stem is in 60 feet and stern is at 150 feet depth.	45°19.0′N 81°33.0′W / 45.3167°N 81.5500°W / 45.3167; -81.5500 (SS Forest City)
Hunter Savidge		Capsized off Point Aux Barques.
SS Hydrus	11 November 1913	Lost on Lake Huron during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Its wreck was discovered in July 2015.[6]
SS Isaac M. Scott	9 November 1913	A lake freighter that sank in the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.	45°03′N 83°02′W / 45.050°N 83.033°W / 45.050; -83.033 (SS Isaac M. Scott)
James C. King	November 1901	While under tow by W.L.Wetmore, which was wrecked by a storm, the King was wrecked too at the north west end of Bonnet Island near Tobermory, Ontario in about 90 feet of water.
SS James Carruthers	9 November 1913	Lost on Lake Huron during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.	44°48′04″N82°23′49″W / 44.801°N 82.397°W / 44.801; -82.397 (SS James Carruthers)
James Davidson	4 October 1883	Wooden bulk freighter wrecked in shallow water off the coast of Thunder Bay Island while towing a consort-barge to Duluth. While still stranded, its engine and boiler were salvaged, and the rest of it has since broken up and separated about 35 feet underwater.[7]	45°01′56.64″N 83°11′33.78″W / 45.0324000°N 83.1927167°W / 45.0324000; -83.1927167
SS John A. McGean	1913	Lost in storm off Harbor Beach in Lake Huron in the Great Storm of 1913. Wreck discovered in 1985.[6]
SS Kaliyuga	October 1905	A wooden steamship lost in a storm.
Lottie Wolf	16 October 1891	This schooner broke up in gale force seas in shallow water about 200 feet of the Hope Island Lighthouse in about 30 feet of water near Midland, Ontario.
Mapledawn	30 November 1924	This steel freighter ran aground in a snow storm on the west side of Christian Island near Midland, Ontario. She is in 35 feet of water with part of the stem sticking out of the water.
Marine City		Wrecked north of Sturgeon Point Light.
Metamora	30 September 1907	A wooden tug that sank near Pointe au Baril, Georgian Bay.	45°31′43.39″N 80°24′26.61″W / 45.5287194°N 80.4073917°W / 45.5287194; -80.4073917 (Metamora (shipwreck))
Michigan	November 1943	While removing grain from the stranded Riverton at the north west end of Hope Island near Midland, Ontario, high winds blew her into shallow waters grounding her in 20 feet of water.
Monohansett	23 November 1907	The wooden steam barge sank after catching fire near Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron. As the wreck took place near the island's Life Saving Station, no lives were lost.[8]	45°01′59.76″N 83°11′59.28″W / 45.0332667°N 83.1998000°W / 45.0332667; -83.1998000
SS Monrovia	26 May 1959	A cargo ship that collided with SS Royalston north of Thunder Bay Island.	44°35′25″N 82°33′12″W / 44.59028°N 82.55333°W / 44.59028; -82.55333 (SS Monrovia)
SS Ohio (1875)	26 September 1894	A wooden freighter that sank in a collision with the schooner Ironton.
Philo Scoville	October 1889	Wrecked during a storm and is in 100 feet at north east end of Bonnet Island near Tobermory, Ontario.
SS Regina	10 November 1913	Lost on Lake Huron during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.
Sweepstakes	September 1885	A schooner that was damaged off Cove Island in August, then sank a month later in Big Tub Harbour, near Tobermory.	45°15′18″N 81°40′50″W / 45.25500°N 81.68056°W / 45.25500; -81.68056 (=Sweepstakes)
True North II	16 June 2000	A glass-bottomed tour boat that sank in Georgian Bay, killing two students.
Typo	14 October 1899	The wooden three-masted schooner was run down by the steamer W.P. Ketcham. The ship sank immediately and the four crew on board drowned.[9]	45°24′55″N 83°33′51″W / 45.41528°N 83.56417°W / 45.41528; -83.56417
PS Waubuno	22 November 1879	A side-wheel paddle steamer lost in a storm in Georgian Bay.	45°07′15″N 80°09′58″W / 45.12083°N 80.16611°W / 45.12083; -80.16611 (=PS Waubuno)
W.L. Wetmore	November 1901	Wrecked in a storm at the west end of Bonnet Island in about 30 feet of water, near Tobermory, Ontario.
SS Wexford	9 November 1913	Lost on Lake Huron during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.
Minnedosa	20 October 1905	Sank while in tow, near Harbor Beach, Michigan; 9 crew and passengers lost.

Lake Michigan[edit]

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
SS Alpena	15 October 1880	A sidewheel steamer that capsized in a storm.
Alvin Clark	19 June 1864	A schooner that sank off the shore of Chambers Island. It was raised in 1969 and taken to Menominee, where it became a tourist attraction. However, it quickly deteriorated, and was demolished in 1994 to make way for a parking lot.	45°06′15″N87°37′13″W / 45.104167°N 87.620278°W / 45.104167; -87.620278 (Alvin Clark (schooner))
America	28 September 1880	A wooden schooner that struck another vessel's scow line.
SS Anna C. Minch	11 November 1940	A cargo carrier that broke in two and sank during the Armistice Day Blizzard.	43°47′13″N86°31′52″W / 43.787°N 86.531°W / 43.787; -86.531 (SS Anna C. Minch)
SS Appomattox	2 November 1905	A bulk cargo steamship that ran aground in fog.	43°05′37.09″N 87°51′58.35″W / 43.0936361°N 87.8662083°W / 43.0936361; -87.8662083 (SS Appomattox)
SS Australasia	18 November 1896	A wooden steamship that sank after burning to a total loss.	44°55.20′N 87°11.13′W / 44.92000°N 87.18550°W / 44.92000; -87.18550 (SS Australasia)
The Brick
SS Carl D. Bradley	18 November 1958	A self-unloading Great Lakes freighter caught in a vicious storm on Lake Michigan.
SS Chicora	21 January 1895	A steamer that went missing in Lake Michigan
Christina Nilsson	23 October 1884	A schooner that sank in a blizzard off Baileys Harbor.
Continental	1904	A bulk carrier that sank off the coast of Two Rivers.
Daniel Lyons	17 October 1878	A schooner that collided with the Kate Gillett off Algoma.
SS Eber Ward	20 April 1909	A cargo ship that foundered in heavy ice west of Mackinaw City.
Erie L. Hackley	3 October 1903	A cargo liner that sank in a storm near Green Island, Wisconsin.	45°03.71′N 87°27.37′W / 45.06183°N 87.45617°W / 45.06183; -87.45617 (Erie L. Hackley)
SS Eastland	24 July 1915	Rolled over in the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois. A total of 848 passengers and crew were killed––the largest loss of life in a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes.
Fleetwing	26 September 1888	A schooner that ran aground off the coast of Liberty Grove.
SS Francisco Morazan	29 November 1960	Grounded and became a total loss in 1960 off the south shore of South Manitou Island. She ran over the wreck of the bulk freighter SS Walter L Frost.
Frank O'Connor	3 October 1919	A bulk carrier that caught fire and sank off the coast of North Bay.	45°06′52″N 87°0′44″W / 45.11444°N 87.01222°W / 45.11444; -87.01222 (Frank O'Connor)
Gallinipper	1851	A schooner that sank in a gale off the coast of Centerville.
Grape Shot	November 1867	A schooner that was run aground by a gale off the coast of Plum Island.
Green Bay		An unidentified sloop off the coast of Sevastopol, believed to date from 1840-1860.
Grace Channon	1877	A three-masted wooden schooner that collided with the propeller tug Favourite 12 miles south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[10]
Hanover	November 1867	A schooner that struck a shoal near the Strawberry Islands.
Hennepin (shipwreck)	18 August 1927	The first self-unloading bulk carrier; sprang a leak off the east coast of Lake Michigan.
Home	1858	A schooner that collided with the William Fiske off the coast of Centerville.
Iris	1913	A schooner that ran aground off the coast of Washington Island.
Joys	23 December 1898	A steamboat that caught fire at anchor in the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.
Lady Elgin	8 September 1860	A steamship wrecked in Lake Michigan near Chicago following a collision with the schooner Augusta.  The greatest loss of life on open water in the Great Lakes.	42°11′00″N 87°39′00″W / 42.18333°N 87.65000°W / 42.18333; -87.65000 (PS Lady Elgin)
SS Lakeland	3 December 1924	A steel freighter that sank after she sprang a leak.	44°47.34′N 87°11.32′W / 44.78900°N 87.18867°W / 44.78900; -87.18867 (SS Lakeland)
Louisiana	8 November 1913	A steamboat that caught fire in a snowstorm off Washington.
L.R. Doty	25 October 1898	A steamship lost in a violent storm while towing the Olive Jeanette.
Lumberman	6 April 1893	A schooner that sank in a storm off the coast of Oak Creek.
Meridian	October 1873	A schooner that sank off the coast off Sister Bay.
SS Milwaukee	22 October 1929	Train ferry that sank in a storm off Milwaukee with the loss of all hands.  Today she lies about four miles northeast of the North Point Lighthouse.[11]
Mount Vernon
Niagara	23 September 1856	A palace steamer that caught fire and sank off Belgium, Wisconsin.
Northerner	29 November 1868	A schooner that capsized off Port Washington.
Ocean Wave	23 September 1869	A scow schooner that sank in a storm off the coast of Door County.
Phoenix	21 November 1847	Wooden steamship that caught fire from over-stoked boilers and burned to the waterline off the coast of Sheboygan, WI, killing at least 190 but perhaps more than 250 of the nearly 300 souls on board.  39 people survived in lifeboats and three were rescued from the water.[12]
R. J. Hackett	12 November 1905	The first Great Lakes freighter; caught fire, ran aground and sank in Green Bay.	45°21′28″N 87°10′55″W / 45.35778°N 87.18194°W / 45.35778; -87.18194 (R. J. Hackett (steamer))
Rosinco	19 September 1928	A luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Kenosha.
Rouse Simmons	23 November 1912	Sunk in a storm on Lake Michigan with its cargo of Christmas trees.
Success	26 November 1896	Pushed ashore by a gale during a storm off the coast of Sevastopol, Wisconsin.
Tennie and Laura	2 August 1903	A scow schooner that sank off Port Washington.
Three Brothers	27 September 1911	A lumber freighter that took on water and was driven aground on South Manitou Island.
S.B. Toledo	22 October 1856	79 of 81 passengers and crew were lost when she sank near Port Washington, Wisconsin in 10 to 35 feet of water. Also carried freight. Wood hull, propeller/direct acting steam engine built by B.B. Jones Co, Buffalo, New York 1854.
SS Selah Chamberlain	13 October 1886	Sank two miles northeast of Sheboygan.	43°46.196′N 087°39.401′W / 43.769933°N 87.656683°W / 43.769933; -87.656683 (SS Selah Chamberlain)
SS William B. Davock	11 November 1940	Sank near Pentwater in the Armistice Day Blizzard.
SS Wisconsin	October 1929	A steamboat that sank off the coast of Kenosha.
Thomas Hume	21 May 1891	A schooner that disappeared on Lake Michigan.
SS W.H. Gilcher	28 October 1892	The Gilcher was a steel hulled freighter that went missing on Lake Michigan on 28 October 1892.
SS Pere Marquette 18	9 September 1910	A steel hulled car ferry that mysteriously flooded, and sank on Lake Michigan.
SS John V. Moran	7 February 1899	A wooden hulled freighter that sunk when a piece of ice punched a hole in her hull.
SS Henry Cort	30 November 1934	A whaleback freighter that ran aground at Muskegon, Michigan.

Lake Ontario[edit]

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
Alberta		A Lake tug with the appearance of an Alligator Tug from the Ottawa River logging days, sank near Bay of Quinte.
Aloha	1917	Sunk while in tow of the CW Chamberlain off Nine Mile Point
Annie Falconer	1904	A schooner that sank in a storm en route to Picton. One crew member perished of exposure upon reaching Amherst Island.
Augustus		A schooner that sank en route to be scuttled during the 1937 Portsmouth harbour cleanup.
Bay State	November 4, 1862	Screw propeller, sank in storm. Wreck discovered August 2015[13]
Belle Sheridan	November 7, 1880	A 123-foot two masted schooner.  She was carrying coal en route to Toronto when caught in the Gale of 1880 and after fighting for hours, sank in 12 feet of water in Wellers Bay.  Only one of the crew of seven survived.
Black Duck	1872	A 51-foot single mast scow sloop that sank in the East end of Lake Erie in August 1872.
China	1872	A small steamer that caught fire and sank off False Duck Island, six months after launching.
City of Sheboygan	1925	Sank in a storm off Amherst Island with the loss of 5 people.
Comet	1861	A paddlewheeler that sunk in a collision with the schooner Exchange off Nine Mile Point, with the loss of 2 lives.
Cornwall	1931	A paddlewheeler scuttled in the Amherst Island graveyard.
Dominion
Dredge Islander		A dredge scuttled in the Snake Island graveyard after harbour cleanup in the 1930s.
Dupont Salvage Scow		Scuttled near Dupont Point, perhaps after the Elevator Bay cleanup.
Effie Mae	1993	A charter boat that was scuttled beside the Aloha for a diving attraction
Empress		A steamer scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard. Real name unknown.
Frontenac		Tug.
George A. Marsh	17 August 1917	A schooner that was sunk during a heavy gale off Pigeon Island. Twelve of fourteen crew and passengers died.[14]
George T Davie		Barge.
Glendora		A steamer that was scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard. Real name unknown.
USS Hamilton	8 August 1813	A US Navy schooner that sunk in a squall off Fourteen Mile Creek. A US sister ship the Scourge sank in the same squall.
Hilda		Wrecker.
Katie Eccles		Ran aground near Kingston on Lake Ontario.
KPH Wreck		A flat barge 100' long that sank near Kingston Psychiatric Hospital.
Londonderry		Wrecker.
Maple Glen		Steamer.
Marine Museum 2		Scow.
Mark One		Tug.
Monkey Wrench		A schooner that was scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard. Real name unknown.
Munson	30 April 1890	A dredger that sank in 4 minutes due to leaking plank, off Lemoine Point.[14]
Nisbet Grammer	26 May 1926	A lake freighter that sank in a collision with the Dalwarnic off Somerset.
SS Noronic	17 September 1949	A Great Lakes cruise ship that burned and sank at Toronto dock, with over 100 passengers killed.
Ocean Wave	1853	Paddlewheeler.
Olive Branch		Schooner.
Oliver Mowat		Schooner.
HMS Ontario	31 October 1780	A British 22-gun brig-sloop sunk in a storm on Lake Ontario, discovered in 2008.  The oldest shipwreck ever found on the Great Lakes.
St. Peter	27 October 1898	A schooner that was wrecked near Pultneyville.	43°18′42″N 77°7′52″W / 43.31167°N 77.13111°W / 43.31167; -77.13111 (St. Peter (shipwreck))
Queen Mary		A steamer that was scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard. Real name unknown.
R.H. Rae		Schooner.
Ricky's Tug		Scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard. Real name unknown.
HMS St Lawrence		A wooden warship that served in the War of 1812. The ship was decommissioned and her hull was used as a storage facility by Morton's Brewery in Kingston. In January 1832, the hull was sold to Robert Drummond for £25. Later, it was sunk close to shore, and is now a popular diving attraction.	44°13′14″N 76°30′18″W / 44.22056°N 76.50500°W / 44.22056; -76.50500 (HMS St Lawrence (1814))
S.M. Douglas		A former White Star dredger.
HMS Speedy	8 October 1804	A schooner that sank off Brighton, Lake Ontario.	43°48′50″N76°47′20″W / 43.814°N 76.789°W / 43.814; -76.789 (HMS Speedy (1798))
USS Sylph	1823	A schooner that served in the War of 1812.
Terry's Tug		Tug.
HMS Toronto	1811	A schooner that sank off Hanlan's Point, Toronto Islands, Lake Ontario.
Unknown			43°27′N 77°26′W / 43.450°N 77.433°W / 43.450; -77.433
Washington	1803	Commercial sloop owned by Canadians, built by Americans on Lake Erie, sunk off Oswego.[15]
Waterlily		Steam barge.
William Jamieson		Schooner.
William Johnston		A tug that sank off 9-Mile Point.	44°07′N 76°33′W / 44.117°N 76.550°W / 44.117; -76.550 (William Johnston)
HMS Wolfe (later HMS Montreal)		A freshwater sloop of war that served in the War of 1812. She was ordered broken up and sold in 1831, and is presumed to have rotted and sunk at Kingston. The wreck, identified as HMS Montreal by Parks Canada in 2006, lies near the Royal Military College of Canada.	44°13′N 76°27′W / 44.217°N 76.450°W / 44.217; -76.450 (HMS Wolfe (1813))
Wolfe Islander II		Car ferry.

Lake Superior[edit]

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
SS Algoma	7 November 1885	Ran aground off the shore of Mott Island.	48°6′41″N 88°31′55″W / 48.11139°N 88.53194°W / 48.11139; -88.53194 (SS Algoma)
Amboy	1905	Ran aground during the Mataafa Storm of 1905.	47°28.674′N 90°59.898′W / 47.477900°N 90.998300°W / 47.477900; -90.998300 (Amboy)
SS America	7 June 1928	A passenger and delivery ship that ran aground on a reef off the shore of Isle Royale.	47°53′39″N 89°13′15″W / 47.89417°N 89.22083°W / 47.89417; -89.22083 (SS America)
Antelope	7 October 1897	Schooner-barge sank near Apostle Islands. Wreck discovered in 2016 near Michigan Island[16]
SS Arlington	1 May 1940	A steamship that broke apart in heavy seas.	48°27′29″N87°40′12″W / 48.458°N 87.670°W / 48.458; -87.670 (SS Arlington)
SS Bannockburn	21 November 1902	A steel hulled freighter that went missing on Lake Superior.
SS Benjamin Noble	28 April 1914	Lost off Duluth; found 2004.[17]	46°56′N 91°40′W / 46.933°N 91.667°W / 46.933; -91.667 (SS Benjamin Noble)
Big Bay sloop		Unidentified sloop believed to date from 1880-1920.
SS Chester A. Congdon	6 November 1918	A bulk steel freighter that ran aground in fog off Isle Royale.	48°11′36″N 88°30′52″W / 48.19333°N 88.51444°W / 48.19333; -88.51444 (Chester A. Congdon)
City of Ashland	8 August 1887	A steam powered tugboat, which caught fire near the shore of its namesake city, Ashland, Wisconsin.
City of Bangor	30 November 1926	A steamer that was stranded in a storm with a cargo of 248 Chryslers.
Comet	26 August 1875	Cargo and passenger steamship that suffered a series of maritime accidents before her final collision with the Manitoba in Whitefish Bay.	46°43.02′N 84°52.00′W / 46.71700°N 84.86667°W / 46.71700; -84.86667 (Comet)
SS Cumberland	25 July 1887	A paddlewheeler that struck a reef near Rock of Ages Light.	47°51′28″N 89°19′32″W / 47.85778°N 89.32556°W / 47.85778; -89.32556 (SS Cumberland)
SS Cyprus	11 October 1907	A lake freighter that capsized near Deer Park.	46°47′N85°36′W / 46.79°N 85.60°W / 46.79; -85.60 (SS Cyprus)
SS D.M. Clemson	1 December 1908	Went missing on Lake Superior on 1 December 1908.
SS Edmund Fitzgerald	10 November 1975	Lost in a storm on Lake Superior, the Fitzgerald is one of the largest ships to have sunk in the Great Lakes. The exact cause of the disaster has never been made clear, and has been the subject of much discussion.	46°59.91′N 85°06.61′W / 46.99850°N 85.11017°W / 46.99850; -85.11017 (SS Edmund Fitzgerald)
SS Emperor	4 June 1947	A freighter that ran aground off Isle Royale.	48°12′2″N 88°29′30″W / 48.20056°N 88.49167°W / 48.20056; -88.49167 (SS Emperor)
USS Essex	13 October 1931	A decommissioned U.S. Navy steam sloop that was scrapped and burned to the waterline. Her hull is the only surviving remnant of a vessel built by Donald McKay.[18]	46°42′46″N 92°01′43″W / 46.71278°N 92.02861°W / 46.71278; -92.02861 (USS Essex)
SS George Spencer	28 November 1905	A wooden freighter that ran aground in the Mataafa Storm of 1905.	47°28.41′N 90°59.59′W / 47.47350°N 90.99317°W / 47.47350; -90.99317 (SS George Spencer)
SS Glenlyon	1 November 1924	A freighter that ran aground off Menagerie Island.	47°57′8″N 88°44′53″W / 47.95222°N 88.74806°W / 47.95222; -88.74806 (SS Glenlyon)
Gunilda	11 August 1911	A yacht that ran up on McGarvey's Shoals, Lake Superior.	48°45′N 87°23′W / 48.750°N 87.383°W / 48.750; -87.383 (Gunilda)
SS George M. Cox		A ship that ran aground on a calm day.
SS Harriet B.	May 3, 1922	Lost off Two Harbors after being rammed in fog.
SS Henry B. Smith	10 November 1913	Lost in Lake Superior during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.	46°54′50″N87°19′59″W / 46.914°N 87.333°W / 46.914; -87.333 (SS Henry B. Smith)
SS Henry Chisholm	20 October 1898	A wooden freighter that sank off the shore of Isle Royale.	47°51′28″N 89°19′32″W / 47.85778°N 89.32556°W / 47.85778; -89.32556 (SS Henry Chisholm)
SS Henry Steinbrenner	11 May 1953	Great Lakes freighter lost in Lake Superior.
Hesper	1905, May 3	A Wooden bulk-freighter steamship that sank in a snowstorm at Silver Bay.	47°16′17″N 91°16′18″W / 47.27139°N 91.27167°W / 47.27139; -91.27167 (Hesper)
SS Hudson	16 September 1901	An iron hulled steamer that was lost with all hands off Eagle Harbor.	47°35′N 88°10′W / 47.583°N 88.167°W / 47.583; -88.167 (SS Hudson)
SS Iosco	2 September 1905	A wooden steamer that sank near the Huron Islands
Ira H. Owen	November 28, 1905	Early steel steamer lost off Outer Island with all hands	46°58.939′N 090°13.292′W / 46.982317°N 90.221533°W / 46.982317; -90.221533 (Ira H. Owen)
Invincible	1816	A wooden ship employed in the fur trade by the Northwest Company. It sank in a storm. Generally considered to be the first recorded ship to sink in the Great Lakes.
J. S. Seaverns	10 May 1884	Sank off Michipicoten, no lives lost. Wreck discovered in 2016.[19][20]
SS John B. Cowle (1902)	12 July 1909	Sank in Whitefish Bay with the loss of 14 lives after colliding with the Isaac M. Scott.[21]	46°44.435′N 84°57.877′W / 46.740583°N 84.964617°W / 46.740583; -84.964617 (SS John B. Cowle)
John M. Osborn	27 July 1884	Wooden steam barge rammed by 'terror of the lakes' Alberta.	46°51.974′N 85°05.210′W / 46.866233°N 85.086833°W / 46.866233; -85.086833 (John M. Osborn)
SS Kamloops	7 December 1927	A Canadian canaller that sank off Isle Royale.	48°5′6″N 88°45′53″W / 48.08500°N 88.76472°W / 48.08500; -88.76472 (SS Kamloops)
SS Lafayette	28 November 1905	A steel hulled bulk freighter that broke in half near Two Harbors, Minnesota.
SS Lambton	18 April 1922	Canadian lighthouse tender that sank in Whitefish Bay
Lucerne	November 1886	A commercial schooner that sank off the coast of Long Island.	46°43.389′N 90°46.035′W / 46.723150°N 90.767250°W / 46.723150; -90.767250 (Lucerne)
Madeira	28 November 1905	A casualty of the Mataafa Storm in 1905.	47°12′22″N 91°21′29″W / 47.20611°N 91.35806°W / 47.20611; -91.35806 (Madeira (shipwreck))
Marquette	1903	A bulk freighter that sank off Michigan Island.	46°49.912′N 90°25.784′W / 46.831867°N 90.429733°W / 46.831867; -90.429733 (Marquette)
May Flower	June 2, 1891	Two-masted scow schooner that capsized off the Lester River.[22]	46°48′12″N 92°00′40″W / 46.80333°N 92.01111°W / 46.80333; -92.01111 (May Flower)
Miztec	13 May 1921	A schooner barge that survived the 1919 storm that took her partner, the SS Myron.  The Miztec's good fortune ended when she sank in 1921 with the loss of all hands.  She came to rest next to the Myron.	46°48.073′N 85°04.500′W / 46.801217°N 85.075000°W / 46.801217; -85.075000 (Miztec)
SS M.M. Drake	2 October 1901	Sank off Vermilion Point on Lake Superior.[21]	46°46.588′N 85°05.933′W / 46.776467°N 85.098883°W / 46.776467; -85.098883 (SS M.M. Drake)
SS Monarch	6 December 1906	A passenger and delivery freighter lost in a storm off Isle Royale.	48°11′20″N 88°26′3″W / 48.18889°N 88.43417°W / 48.18889; -88.43417 (SS Monarch)
Moonlight	September 1903	A schooner that sank off the coast of Michigan Island.	46°49.939′N 90°22.703′W / 46.832317°N 90.378383°W / 46.832317; -90.378383 (Moonlight)
SS Myron	23 November 1919	Lumber hooker lost in a storm on Lake Superior.	46°48.463′N 85°01.646′W / 46.807717°N 85.027433°W / 46.807717; -85.027433 (SS Myron)
Niagara	4 June 1904	Large wooden rafting tug ran aground at Knife Island	46°56′45″N91°46′16″W / 46.945751°N 91.771245°W / 46.945751; -91.771245 (Niagara)
Noquebay	6 October 1905	A wooden schooner that caught fire and sank off Stockton Island.	46°55.568′N 90°32.717′W / 46.926133°N 90.545283°W / 46.926133; -90.545283 (Noquebay)
SS Onoko	14 September 1915	Sprang a leak and sank near Knife River	46°50.772′N 91°46.640′W / 46.846200°N 91.777333°W / 46.846200; -91.777333 (SS Onoko)
Ottawa	13 November 1909	A tugboat that caught fire after rescuing a stranded steamboat.
Pretoria	1905	A schooner-barge that sank off Outer Island in 1905.	47°05.36′N 90°23.66′W / 47.08933°N 90.39433°W / 47.08933; -90.39433 (Pretoria)
USS Puritan	27 May 1933	A commercial steamship (renamed George M. Cox in 1933) that struck a reef near Rock of Ages Light.	47°51′28″N 89°19′32″W / 47.85778°N 89.32556°W / 47.85778; -89.32556 (USS Puritan)
R.G. Stewart	4 June 1899	A commercial Packet steamer that caught fire and sank off the coast of Michigan Island.
SS Robert Wallace	17 November 1902	A wooden freighter that sank after her stern pipe burst.	46°50.837′N 91°43.736′W / 46.847283°N 91.728933°W / 46.847283; -91.728933 (SS Robert Wallace)
SS Sagamore	29 July 1901	A whaleback barge, sank in a collision with Northern Queen near Iroquois Point in Whitefish Bay.	46°31.085′N 84°37.935′W / 46.518083°N 84.632250°W / 46.518083; -84.632250 (SS Sagamore)
SS Samuel Mather	21 November 1891	Sank in a collision with the Brazil off Iroquois Point in Whitefish Bay with no loss of life.[21]	46°34.308′N 084°42.325′W / 46.571800°N 84.705417°W / 46.571800; -84.705417 (SS Samuel Mather)
Samuel P. Ely	30 October 1896	A schooner lost off Two Harbors	47°00′42″N 91°40′40″W / 47.01167°N 91.67778°W / 47.01167; -91.67778 (Samuel P. Ely)
SS Scotiadoc	20 June 1953	Rammed by the freighter Burlington in heavy fog off Trowbridge Island, near the Sleeping Giant.
Sevona	2 September 1905	A steamboat that ran aground off the coast of Sand Island.	47°00.410′N 90°54.520′W / 47.006833°N 90.908667°W / 47.006833; -90.908667 (Sevona)
SS Superior City	20 August 1920	Collided with Willis L. King in Whitefish Bay.	46°43.51′N 84°52.37′W / 46.72517°N 84.87283°W / 46.72517; -84.87283 (SS Superior City)
T.H. Camp	16 November 1900	A wooden tugboat that sank between Madeline and Basswood Islands.
SS Theano	17 November 1906	A steel ocean steamer that sank in deep water after striking a reef.	48°18′N 88°52′W / 48.300°N 88.867°W / 48.300; -88.867 (SS Theano)
Thomas Wilson	7 June 1902	Struck by the wooden steamer George Hadley and sunk less than a mile out of the Duluth Ship Canal.[23]	46°47′0″N 92°4′10″W / 46.78333°N 92.06944°W / 46.78333; -92.06944 (Thomas Wilson)
SS Vienna	17 September 1892	Rammed by Nipigon in Whitefish Bay.	46°44′N 84°57′W / 46.733°N 84.950°W / 46.733; -84.950 (SS Vienna)
SS William C. Moreland	18 October 1910	A 600 ft (180 m) long steel hulled bulk freighter that ran aground on Sawtooth Reef.	47°24.84′N 88°19.73′W / 47.41400°N 88.32883°W / 47.41400; -88.32883 (SS William C. Moreland)
SS Western Reserve	30 August 1892	Broke in two in a summer storm on Lake Superior.

The List of shipwrecks of Isle Royale includes more than 25 ships that have been sunk near Isle Royale in Lake Superior (North America). Isle Royale has been an obstacle to shipping on Lake Superior since the earliest days.

Upon its reefs, more than 25 major wrecks have occurred. Some were refloated, but most never left.

Still to be found beneath the waves of Lake Superior are the wooden sidewheeler, Cumberland (1877); bulk freighter, Chester Congdon (1918); and the first 10,000-long-ton (10,000 t) Canadian wheat packet, Emperor (1947). Earlier, the Kamloops which "went missing" in 1927 was found on the northern shore of the island in 1977.

The earliest recorded wrecks were the Madeline (1839) and the Siskiwit (1840) of the American Fur Company. Many smaller French "ships" were reported upon Lake Superior in the 18th century, which were gone before the English arrival in 1763. Along the north shore of the lake, the most celebrated wreck is that of the America which served as a connection between Isle Royale and the mainland and was a highway from Duluth, Minnesota, to Port Arthur, Ontario.^[1]

To the west and south of Isle Royale is the Rock of Ages Lighthouse. Built in 1908, the light has provided the ships of Lake Superior with assurances that the Rock of Ages reef would be found by the captain, before the reef found the ship. But that was too late or too little for the three residents lying atop the reef.

The Passenger Steamer Cumberland had spent 21–23 July 1877 aground on a bar near Nipigon, Ontario, just prior to heading out into the clear lake from Thunder Bay. She was headed to Duluth, running in clear weather with a light breeze out of the south, when she ran hard upon the reef. A salvage crew tried to float the ship off the reef, but gave up when the weather turned sour in early August. The 'elements' of the lake have left only scattered sections of her hull, sidewheel and anchor from 20 to 140 feet (6 to 43 m) deep on the Rock of Ages Reef.^[2]  

Nearby to the southwest lies the Henry Chisholm. Sunday, October 1898 she was headed east towards the Soo when her tow separated in a storm north of Copper Harbor, Michigan. On the morning of the 20th, while preparing to begin a search of the Isle Royale harbors for the tow Martin, the Chisholm ran hard atop the reef. So badly damaged was the hull that the salvage crew estimated that it would take 8–10 pumps to lower the water in the hold. With bad weather expected at any time, it was abandoned to the lake. Today, she rests amongst the remains of the Cumberland, the steam engine being the identifiable remains.^[3]  

To the east lies the George M. Cox. It was on the night of May 28, 1933, that the Cox struck the reef in a heavy fog. The Cox had been headed for Fort William and was making a good 10 statute miles per hour (16 km/h) in a calm lake when she struck. The impact was so great that the boilers ripped loose. The craft then settled onto the reef with a 90-degree tilt. Many pictures have been seen of the Cox, with its bow standing high out of the water, and the stern lapped by the waves. Again, the damage exceeded the ability of salvagers to remove her from the grave.^[4]  

Each of these ships can still be visited by divers who brave the temperatures, which get as low as 34 °F (1 °C).^[5]

Remembering the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/70951/12-doomed-facts-about-ss-edmund-fitzgerald .                   

I was on my back from deer hunting with my uncle when we heard the news on the radio. The gales of November came early.

This is sadly true.

My cousins husband just came back from deer hunting on Cockburn Island which is in the upper part of Lake Huron. For the Americans here it is the last Island north before you hit Drummond Island which is considered in American territory. They go back and forth to Island by a tug boat which is owned by the husbands brother. They went to leave and it was snowing hard and the water was too rough the owner though even for his tug boat. They delayed the trip 6 hours and tried again but the husband said even then the trip was terrible with the wind and rough waters and he was glad when they made land. I don't thing myself that November has even been a good month to be on the great Lakes if you can't at least reach out and touch shore. To the Major who I have send the odd picture to of the Island, yes the husband bagged a deer again this year.

I should have put this on last year. 101 years ago this week three newly built minesweepers sailed from Fort William, Ontario for mine clearance duties in Europe. As they sailed across Lake Superior they encountered a severe storm lasting two days. Only the Sebastopol made it to Sault Ste Marie at the eastern end, the Inkerman and the Cerisoles disappeared without trace taking their 78 crewmen with them. It remains largest loss of life on the Great Lakes.

When I first read about this last year my first thought was that someone had got their facts wrong, how could three ocean-going ships built on Lake Superior 1000 miles from the sea possibly be heading for Europe? But when I looked into it I found a series of rivers/canals connecting the Great Lakes, thus a city as far west as Duluth is a major port for ocean-going vessels. I never realized that.   

How big a ship could Duluth handle then so far from the sea? And what is the route? 

From Duluth or Thunder Bay they travel down Lake Superior to the locks at Sault Ste Marie and then into Lake Huron. From there through Lake Huron to Sarnia and down the St Clair River to Lake St Clair. They exit the Lake at Detroit and Windsor and follow the Detroit river down to Lake Erie. They sail through Lake Erie to the Welland canal. The canal bypasses Niagara Falls and empties into Lake Ontario. From there they sail the length of the lake east and enter the locks on the St Lawrence river. From there it's follow the river east until they hit open ocean.

It's funny that I seen this today because yesterday evening over coffee my Cousins husband and I were discussing the day in November when the Edmond Fitz Gerald went down. He was over on Cockburn Island with his brother and the brothers tug boat at the time. On their way back the lake got so bad and especially the wind that they couldn't do the 21 mile crossing straight to the main shore without first crossing over from Cockburn Island to Drummond Island and then shadowing it right around to try and keep out of the wind. He said it took them over 6 hours to get back to Blind River where the tug parked. He said him and his brother were both wearing immersions suits but like he said the only good they would have been is making it easier to find their bodies. 

From Duluth or Thunder Bay they travel down Lake Superior to the locks at Sault Ste Marie and then into Lake Huron. From there through Lake Huron to Sarnia and down the St Clair River to Lake St Clair. They exit the Lake at Detroit and Windsor and follow the Detroit river down to Lake Erie. They sail through Lake Erie to the Welland canal. The canal bypasses Niagara Falls and empties into Lake Ontario. From there they sail the length of the lake east and enter the locks on the St Lawrence river. From there it's follow the river east until they hit open ocean.

It's funny that I seen this today because yesterday evening over coffee my Cousins husband and I were discussing the day in November when the Edmond Fitz Gerald went down. He was over on Cockburn Island with his brother and the brothers tug boat at the time. On their way back the lake got so bad and especially the wind that they couldn't do the 21 mile crossing straight to the main shore without first crossing over from Cockburn Island to Drummond Island and then shadowing it right around to try and keep out of the wind. He said it took them over 6 hours to get back to Blind River where the tug parked. He said him and his brother were both wearing immersions suits but like he said the only good they would have been is making it easier to find their bodies. 

‍Way back when, on nice summer nights, after work & dinner, hopped on the bike after dark & headed up to Welland Ontario to watch the lake boats go thru the locks. On the way back stopped at the Stevensville Hotel for libations, many wonderful memories of that time period. I know I have posted similar adventures before & Pete knows about the old hotel when you got 21 shrimp in a basket for $1.85. These were the days before passports were needed to cross over the Peace Bridge & all you were asked was; Citizenship, where you going, for how long? The Great Lakes has had huge maritime trade for centuries now. Including not only hauling ore & grain, but shipbuilding as well.

Way back when, on nice summer nights, after work & dinner, hopped on the bike after dark & headed up to Welland Ontario to watch the lake boats go thru the locks. On the way back stopped at the Stevensville Hotel for libations, many wonderful memories of that time period. I know I have posted similar adventures before & Pete knows about the old hotel when you got 21 shrimp in a basket for $1.85. These were the days before passports were needed to cross over the Peace Bridge & all you were asked was; Citizenship, where you going, for how long? The Great Lakes has had huge maritime trade for centuries now. Including not only hauling ore & grain, but shipbuilding as well. It also helped open up the West because there were no roads heading north to travel on to get to the west. Many of the small trading posts that relieve on water travel then turned into Forts and later great cities like Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo. Still gives my wife and I a smile Tommy every time we here or thing of the Welland Canal. We were both on the same school excursion in grade 6 when we stopped to see the canal and ships moving through on our way to Niagara Falls. That's the day the Principal said don't go to close to the edge because if you fall in your dead. There was a ship on the low side coming from Lake Ontario heading for Lake Erie. Lake Erie is higher than Lake Ontario so the ship pulls into the lock and they flood it to raise it up to the next level. I thinks there's 8 locks now where this is repeated raising the ship before it reaches Lake Erie. Anyway, simple Georgie is looking down at the ship on the low side and decided to slide along the railing and look at the high side. He doesn't notice that the guard rail has an opening in it where there is a set of wall rung stairs going down and beneath the water. He runs out of railing and falls 15 feet and hits the water. Luckily he isn't hurt from the fall but has to do the dog paddle to get himself back to the ladder. Well this is all going on, the principal is chatting up some of the mothers that are on the trip as chaperones. My mother is one of them. One of the girls that seen Georgie fall in runs up to the Principal and says Mr. Fallis Mr. Fallis and the Principal tells her not to interrupt him while he speaking. After he says a few more sentences she pipes up again, Mr. Fallis and he finally says what is it and is mad that he has been interrupted again. She blurts out Georgie fell in the Canal. You wouldn't believe how much his face changed because he figures the kid is dead for sure. If he had fallen on the low side he would be dead on landing on the ship deck which was pretty far below. The kids yell over here over here and he arrives just in time to help Georgie up the last couple of iron rungs by his ears. The rest of the trip was uneventful other that Georgie had to sit at the back of the bus in his underwear waiting for his clothes to dry that were now hanging out the bus side widows.

Way back when, on nice summer nights, after work & dinner, hopped on the bike after dark & headed up to Welland Ontario to watch the lake boats go thru the locks. On the way back stopped at the Stevensville Hotel for libations, many wonderful memories of that time period. I know I have posted similar adventures before & Pete knows about the old hotel when you got 21 shrimp in a basket for $1.85. These were the days before passports were needed to cross over the Peace Bridge & all you were asked was; Citizenship, where you going, for how long? The Great Lakes has had huge maritime trade for centuries now. Including not only hauling ore & grain, but shipbuilding as well. It also helped open up the West because there were no roads heading north to travel on to get to the west. Many of the small trading posts that relieve on water travel then turned into Forts and later great cities like Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo. Still gives my wife and I a smile Tommy every time we here or thing of the Welland Canal. We were both on the same school excursion in grade 6 when we stopped to see the canal and ships moving through on our way to Niagara Falls. That's the day the Principal said don't go to close to the edge because if you fall in your dead. There was a ship on the low side coming from Lake Ontario heading for Lake Erie. Lake Erie is higher than Lake Ontario so the ship pulls into the lock and they flood it to raise it up to the next level. I thinks there's 8 locks now where this is repeated raising the ship before it reaches Lake Erie. Anyway, simple Georgie is looking down at the ship on the low side and decided to slide along the railing and look at the high side. He doesn't notice that the guard rail has an opening in it where there is a set of wall rung stairs going down and beneath the water. He runs out of railing and falls 15 feet and hits the water. Luckily he isn't hurt from the fall but has to do the dog paddle to get himself back to the ladder. Well this is all going on, the principal is chatting up some of the mothers that are on the trip as chaperones. My mother is one of them. One of the girls that seen Georgie fall in runs up to the Principal and says Mr. Fallis Mr. Fallis and the Principal tells her not to interrupt him while he speaking. After he says a few more sentences she pipes up again, Mr. Fallis and he finally says what is it and is mad that he has been interrupted again. She blurts out Georgie fell in the Canal. You wouldn't believe how much his face changed because he figures the kid is dead for sure. If he had fallen on the low side he would be dead on landing on the ship deck which was pretty far below. The kids yell over here over here and he arrives just in time to help Georgie up the last couple of iron rungs by his ears. The rest of the trip was uneventful other that Georgie had to sit at the back of the bus in his underwear waiting for his clothes to dry that were now hanging out the bus side widows.

‍The Maid of the Mist are excursion boats in the lower Niagara River that take passengers breathtakingly close to Niagara Falls. Rain coats are provided cause you will get wet. Boats have been running there since 1846 from both the American & Canadian side of the river. The American side company is building two new boats which will be powered by battery rather than diesel. They are of pontoon design & can carry double what the older boats could. Sea trials on the first of the two begin in about a month before the ice sets in.

I've been on The Maid of the Mist 3 times now and it 's a fabulous trip. I remember back in the 80's travelling to Goderich in Canada, where ships loaded huge amounts of corn to ship to the US. It was a round the clock operation on the grand scale.

I've been on The Maid of the Mist 3 times now and it 's a fabulous trip. I remember back in the 80's travelling to Goderich in Canada, where ships loaded huge amounts of corn to ship to the US. It was a round the clock operation on the grand scale.

‍The new boats will be capable of carrying 600 passengers & for the first sea trial they will use 55 gal water filled drums to simulate the weight carrying capacity. BTW my nephew (26 year old) is a union electrician currently working on the boats. He should be working there for at least the upcoming winter. They have to take a 10 story elevator down from the top of gorge to the water's edge to get to the boat. The same elevator that used to service the Schoelkopf (spelling) power station which collapsed into the mighty Niagara years ago.

As you know, I was in Niagara last year and did the Maid, how can't you? From the Canadian side the American falls look, how can I put it? Not as inspiring like the Canadian side. However, when you cross over and go to them they come as a surprise just how different they look from the American side and just how much more spectacular they are when you get right close up. We went down in a lift and stood at the bottom and got soaked, it was great and as it was so hot, we dried out in no time. Back in 79, the first time we went, we crossed over and went to a famous restaurant where they served amazing meals for next to nowt. You'll find this funny, but we took photos of the menus to show people back home and photos of those meals. I'll tell you what, you wouldn't want to drop one on your foot. I was 29 and it was the first time I had ever tasted lobster. The next time we went my daughter was only 5 and like our parents, we always used to tell her to eat all her food on the plate. When her meal arrived she started crying, saying, I don't have to eat all that do I? It could have fed two adults, never mind a child. When we went to New York a few years back, we were staying for one night in an airport hotel close by, which was a disgusting shithole but anyway, we waltzed off to get something to eat and went in this Italian type place. We ordered starters and a main each and we all felt embarrassed when they came around at the end because the mains were hardly touched, the starters were so big. In front of us was a mountain of great food which probably went in the bin. My wife's apologising saying.... it's lovely, don't think we don't like it but there's too much!

As you know, I was in Niagara last year and did the Maid, how can't you? From the Canadian side the American falls look, how can I put it? Not as inspiring like the Canadian side. However, when you cross over and go to them they come as a surprise just how different they look from the American side and just how much more spectacular they are when you get right close up. We went down in a lift and stood at the bottom and got soaked, it was great and as it was so hot, we dried out in no time. Back in 79, the first time we went, we crossed over and went to a famous restaurant where they served amazing meals for next to nowt. You'll find this funny, but we took photos of the menus to show people back home and photos of those meals. I'll tell you what, you wouldn't want to drop one on your foot. I was 29 and it was the first time I had ever tasted lobster. The next time we went my daughter was only 5 and like our parents, we always used to tell her to eat all her food on the plate. When her meal arrived she started crying, saying, I don't have to eat all that do I? It could have fed two adults, never mind a child. When we went to New York a few years back, we were staying for one night in an airport hotel close by, which was a disgusting shithole but anyway, we waltzed off to get something to eat and went in this Italian type place. We ordered starters and a main each and we all felt embarrassed when they came around at the end because the mains were hardly touched, the starters were so big. In front of us was a mountain of great food which probably went in the bin. My wife's apologising saying.... it's lovely, don't think we don't like it but there's too much!

‍Yes Major, the Canadian Horseshoe Falls are far more spectacular than the American which has lots of rocks at the base. By the same token there has never been a survivor going over the American because of them. From your explanation of the restaurants I will guess one was John's Flaming Hearth, & the Italian one was definitely the Como. When Kruschev visited, he was taken to John's to dine.

My missus tells me it was called Pete's market. When you ordered a spirit coffee, with the floated cream, they gave you the glass with their name and the year on and we still have them, only ever getting them out at Christmas.

Everyone seems to have heard of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald but not of the greater disaster the loss of the Inkerman and the Cerisoles, perhaps because the former is in living memory.