The 7 Biggest Shipwrecks in Lake Superior History

Unless you live close to the Great Lakes, shipwrecks on Lake Superior are difficult to fathom. Many people don’t realize the immense size of these lakes, especially Superior. These lakes are so large that you can sail well out of sight of land.

Lake Superior alone contains 10% of the entire planet’s water supply. Once you wrap your head around that, it’s easy to understand how gigantic shipwrecks can happen out there. From the age of the paddle and sail, through the years of the steam engine, to diesel-powered megaliths on water, shipwrecks are a fact of life on Lake Superior.

Somewhere between 500 and 600, shipwrecks are sitting at the bottom of Lake Superior. Nothing will ever compare to some of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, like the Titanic. However, you may find that some of these shipwrecks and the mysteries surrounding them are immensely fascinating in their own right.

1. The Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior – SS Bannockburn

The SS Bannockburn, a steel-hulled freighter from Canada, is the source of some interesting stories since its disappearance in November 1902. Last officially seen at approximately 11:00 pm the night prior, the Bannockburn still shows up from time to time.

When the ship missed its scheduled convergence from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, the assumptions were numerous. A storm passed through the night before and the ship waiting out the storm in some cove was the obvious presumption.

The John D. Rockefeller, a steamer ship heading through an area about 80 miles south of the last Bannockburn sighting, ran into a debris field on November 25th. Since the Bannockburn was not a missing ship and no concerns were raised at the time, Rockefeller moved on without making much note of the incident.

Today, the ship is still missing. Of all the shipwrecks discovered in Lake Superior and with all the technology we have at our disposal, the Bannockburn is still a phantom. The word “phantom” is key, as eyewitnesses since the disappearance will tell you. The Bannockburn occasionally steams into view, its distant outline haunting captains and crew alike. It is now the Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior, a legend and a ghost story in one.

2. SS Edmund Fitzgerald

Since we’re on the subject of the biggest shipwrecks, we might as well cover the biggest-ever shipwreck on the Great Lakes, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This massive, 730′ coal-fired behemoth launched for the first time on June 7th, 1958, instantly becoming the largest ship on the Great Lakes.

The ship’s primary cargo was iron ore, so not only was it a monstrous ship for its day, but also a serious heavyweight on the water. The thing is, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an outstanding cargo ship. She broke timing records at least six times and was in service for nearly two decades.

Unfortunately, resoundingly successful service and exceptional delivery times aren’t always enough. On November 10, 1975, the Fitzgerald ran into 35′ waves in a terrifying storm. It was too much for the ill-fated ship and she sank at some point throughout the night.

Unlike the missing Flying Dutchman, the once mighty shipwreck of the Fitzgerald was located, though why it sank (outside of a gigantic thunderstorm) is a mystery to this day.

3. The May Flower

One of the oldest known shipwrecks in Lake Superior, the May Flower sank to the bottom of Lake Superior in 1891. The May Flower took on cargo in Michigan (mostly large, sandstone blocks) and departed from port in June of 1891. The 147′ long schooner, manufactured in Wisconsin, was only in its fourth year when it sank to the bottom of Superior.

No natural disaster, freak wave, or accidental beaching brought down the May Flower. Ultimately, it was the very sandstone blocks, shifting around within the cargo hold, that was heavy enough to sink the ship. The May Flower lowered her sails and the change in direction forced the sandstone blocks to shift. The ship simply couldn’t handle the sudden change in weight distribution.

Fortunately, the May Flower is not hiding within the pages of history. In 1991, explorers discovered the May Flower lying just outside of Duluth Harbor. In that area, just outside the bay, it’s usually very difficult to see, thanks to the disturbance of the sea bed from a nearby river.

The May Flower remains mostly intact for observation. Thanks to the uniqueness of her windlass and the fact that there are no plans to haul the wreck up from the depths, the windlass is now the only one of its kind in all of the shipping vessels on the Great Lakes.

4. SS Kamloops

Another ship manufactured in Canada, the SS Kamloops sank in the first week of December 1927. Like the SS Bannockburn, the Kamloops became a ghost ship for half a century after its sinking. Fortunately, sports divers discovered the wreckage of the lost ship 50 years later, in 1977.

Like so many of the shipwrecks in Lake Superior, or any of the Great Lakes for that matter, the cause of Kamloops’ fate is relatively unknown. These sports divers were pretty brave, entering the ship and even locating a body in the engine room, granting him the title, ‘Grandpa.’

According to the diver, ‘Grandpa’ wasn’t too happy about their visit, following them around the engine room until they left the ship. While there’s probably a degree of exaggeration to go along with the genuine spookiness of finding a body 50 years dead.

Of course, the story fits well with the myths and chilling stories of haunting vessels, rising out of the dark fog on Lake Superior. It wasn’t the first such story on the Great Lakes, and it won’t be the last.

5. The Hudson

Another ship that disappeared in the dark depths of Lake Superior is The Hudson, a cargo ship carrying wheat and flax. While the exact circumstances of her sinking are still unknown, most believe that she shares the fate of May Flower. Flax is a cargo with a reputation for shifting throughout the cargo hold in its day.

Some believe the amount of flax was heavy enough to do the job and cause the ship to flounder in the water. The site of the wreckage was a mystery until very recently. In 2019, Jerry Eliason and Kraig Smith, shipwreck hunters from Minnesota and Wisconsin respectively, discovered the Hudson beneath 800′ of water.

With nothing more than sonar and cameras, the shipwreck hunters discovered a ship lost to over a century of history and the source of ghost stories for decades afterward. The vessel is 288′ long, so it makes for quite a sight, looming out of the darkness, only visible by artificial light.

The exact details of The Hudson’s sinking are still unknown. We do know that the ship encountered a vicious gale sweeping in not long after its departure. The Hudson is one of only a few deepest shipwrecks in Lake Superior.

6. SS Western Reserve

The SS Western Reserve was a technological exception to the rule in its day. One of only a handful of steel-plate lake freighters, she set sail in August 1892 from Deer Park, Michigan, never to return. Unlike many of the shipwrecks in Lake Superior’s long and infamous history, we know the cause of this one.

Unfortunately, the manufacture of steel plates in lake freighters was not a common thing. This particular steel plate was full of defects, wrought by high amounts of sulfur and phosphorous. While there was a storm at the time of the sinking, it was not a vicious one. It certainly shouldn’t have sent a ship like the SS Western Reserve to an early and watery grave.

But, that’s exactly what happened. The ship simply snapped in half and sank, right then and there. Supposedly, the ship still haunts the shoreline and peers of Deer Park today. Whether it’s a sighting or the ghostly melody of drifting voices where none should be, perhaps the Western Reserve lives on after all.

7. SS Emperor

Such a name inspires thoughts of largesse, an immense craft smoothly cutting through the waters of Lake Superior. As a cargo ship, packed to the brim with steel ore, the SS Emperor was an enormous vessel in its day, topping out at over 500′.

Though she sank in 1947, the SS Emperor was already 37 years old, launching for the first time back in 1910. Ironically, the ship left Thunder Bay on June 3, loaded down with over 10,000 tons of steel. At some point that night, the First Mate relieved the Captain and was at the helm when the ship ran aground a little more than five hours later.

With its hull compromised, the ship slid off its perch and down into the depths of Lake Superior. Since the location of the sinking is well documented, there was never a need to search for the wreckage of the SS Emperor, making it sort of an odd man out as far as shipwrecks in Lake Superior go.

As with many shipwrecks, the SS emperor is highly popular with divers, thanks to the easy-to-access location.

Final Thoughts on the Biggest Shipwrecks in Lake Superior

We could go on and on about the many hundreds of shipwrecks in Lake Superior over the centuries. We could probably pen a novel about it. The history is both tragic and deep. It’s no wonder there are so many proclamations of hauntings and spooky happenings on Superior’s waters.

Shipwrecks are endlessly fascinating, and these seven represent some of the biggest ones on Lake Superior. Divers are constantly making their way to these underwater grave sites and shipwreck hunters are always on the lookout for more.

Summary of The 7 Biggest Shipwrecks in Lake Superior History

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