Lake Michigan wreck at 200 feet

[Darren in NC]

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/arti...inds-ships-that-sank-in-1878-in-lake-michigan

 

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[Bum Luck]

Heard about these for years, but now the mystery is solved.

Between Beaver Island and the Straits of Mackinac is Waugoshance Shoals, some really nasty water.

It always amazes me that with the thousands of wrecks in the Great Lakes, the water clarity, and their relative size compared to the oceans, that there aren't more wrecks found by now.

 

[Force_of_Iron]

No gold there or any precious metal that I can think of. That really dampens the entheusiasm to bear the search expense.

 

[MiddenMonster]

No gold there or any precious metal that I can think of. That really dampens the entheusiasm to bear the search expense.

I was stunned at the amazing state of preservation of the ships. It looks like there is virtually no encrustation on them. Would it not be worth the expense to raise and preserve the ships simply for historical value? And don't forget the cargo of coal. There is enough there to generate electricity for about...an hour.

 

[Bum Luck]

I was stunned at the amazing state of preservation of the ships. It looks like there is virtually no encrustation on them. Would it not be worth the expense to raise and preserve the ships simply for historical value? And don't forget the cargo of coal. There is enough there to generate electricity for about...an hour.

That would be great, and it has been tried several times. The Alvin Clark was one I saw long time ago. Although the schooner was in pristine condition when raised, no plans were in place for its conservation, and the ship rapidly deteriorated. Her remains were destroyed in 1994. Sad.

Sounds like we all gotta dive to see 'em.


Unfortunately, underwater isn't so good anymore either. Zebra mussels, an invasive from Europe has infested the Great Lakes and is becoming a large problem. They pile up like coral, but they can become too heavy for the fragile wrecks. Here is a pic of what the wrecks look like:



Here's the Rouse Simmons, the "Christmas Tree Ship". It delivered Christmas Trees to kids in Chicago every year when it foundered off Two Rivers, Wisconsin in 1912 in a violent storm, killing all on board. It went missing for many years. The trees were sold for between 50 cents and $1, but the owner, Herman Schuenemann, affectionately known as "Captain Santa", also gave away some of the trees to needy families. Later, a bottle washed up on the beach in Sheboygan: "Friday … everybody goodbye. I guess we are all through. During the night the small boat washed overboard. Leaking bad. Invald and Steve lost too. God help us." It was finally found in 1971.


One thing about our ships up here: we all love 'em. We write books about 'em, we remember the captain and crew, and we cherish our history.

Here's a before and after of Zebra mussels: