Great Storms of the North American Great Lakes

Ever since people have traveled the Great Lakes storms have taken lives and vessels. The first sailing vessel the "Le Griffin" was lost on it return from Green Bay in 1679. Since that time, memorial storms have sweep the lakes, often in November taking men and ships to their death. With the advent of modern technology and sturdier vessels, few such losses have occurred. [ Havighurst, Walter, ed.; "The Great Lakes Reader"; The Macmillan Company, New York, New York, 1966,pg 287]

torm in the age of canoes (1825)

It was September of 1825 that Henry Rowe Schoolcraft recorded a late fall storm on Lake Huron. He was returning from an Indian ‘Congress’ at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. It had been an uneventful six-day trip from the Mississippi River to Michilimackinac. From Mackinac, Schoolcraft was headed towards Detour Pass and up the St. Mary's River to Sault Ste. Marie. The morning of 5 September, he arose, had breakfast and prepared to strike out in their canoes. The day was cloudy and threatening, so he decided to wait until the next day. Arising at three in the morning, he found the island lost in a fog. They waited until it began to clear at 6:30 a.m. and made there way to Goose Island, ten miles (16 km) distance after three hours. From there, they made their way to Outard Point. Here, the head wind had increased that they hove to about noon. Here, they were able to pull into an inlet out of the wind and make camp. Eight hours later, the canoe party was still waiting for the wind to let up. The night brought a heavy rain, piercing the fabric of the tents, soaking everyone and everything. Morning of the 7th found the storm continuing. The increasing violence caused Schoolcraft to have his tent moved back into the trees for more protection. Around three, the sky seemed to be brightening and expectation were that the weather was clearing. But the rains and the wind came with renewed fury from the west and continued late into the night. As the morning of the 8th arrived, Schoolcraft determined to get on with his journey. As the wind was directly out of the west, he was headed east, he ordered the canoes readied and the sails. With sails reefed against the storm, the brigade set out into the lake at 10:00 a.m. Just under three and a half hours brought them 20 miles to the Isle St. Vital, behind which they took refuge from the wind. After a break, they once again set into the gale force winds, driving for De Tour and the St. Mary’s Strait. Here they found the Schooner Harriet, down bound, waiting for the winds to subside. It was but another day and they were once again at Sault Ste. Marie. [H.R. Schoolcraft, "Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the Indians Tribes on the American Frontiers", 1851; Havighurst, Walter, ed.; The Great Lakes Reader; The Macmillan Company, New York, New York, 1966, pg 302-5]

Early Steam on the Lakes (1835)

It was November 11, 1835 when a southwest wind swept across the lakes, taking numerous vessels. This was still early in the life of commercial shipping on the Lakes so most of the losses were on the lower lakes where settlements were greatest. [J.B. Mansfield, "History of the Great Lakes", 1899; Havighurst, Walter, ed.; "The Great Lakes Reader"; The Macmillan Company, New York, New York, 1966, pg 287]

Buffalo was a major port on Lake Erie and felt the force of the storm as water from the lake forced ships onto the piers and shoreline of the city. The creek rose 20 feet as the wind and the harbor front were swept away.

The Big Storm, 1913

In 1913, from the ninth of November through the twelfth, all five lakes were turned into cauldrons of boiling water by a unique combination of weather patterns. Before the four days ended, 13 ships went under and many more were driven ashore. Two hundred and forty-four men lost their lives. The largest loss of ships was on Lake Huron (see Shipwrecks of Lake Huron)

Black Friday, 1916

Friday, October 20, 1916 on Lake ErieThese were the years before there was ship to shore radio. Once out on the lakes, each ship had only itself to depend upon and the chance of meeting another ship. While only four ships were lost, nearly all the men of these crews were lost to the tempest of the storm tossed lake. [Bowen, Dana Thomas, "Lore of the Lakes"; Freshwater Press, Inc.; Cleveland, Ohio; 1940, Chapter 15] In all, Black Friday took the lives of 49 men. [ibid, pgs 304]

The "Jame B. Colgate" had just finished loading coal and set sail from Buffalo, New York bound for Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay. It was one-ten in the morning as the Colgate dropped its hawsers and headed out into the open lake. Dawn found the "Colgate" off Long Point. All day they moved steadily westward, keeping the bow into the wind, wave crashing over the decks and beating on the hatch coverings. Slowing, water began to enter the cargo holds. The pumps could not keep up with the influx of water and she began to list about eight o'clock that evening. No other ships had been seen and none could be found. The bow was riding low in the water. As the ten o'clock hour came around, the "Colgate" slid beneath the waves. The men all had life jackets, but nothing was floating which would help them get out of the cold water. One life raft was found and a coal passer, the engineer and the captain took refuge. In the middle of the night, the raft was flipped and the coal passer did not return. As the 21st dawned, the raft again spilled its occupants and the engineer returned but was too weak to hold on and he was lost. Night came on and the Captain Walter J. Grashaw still hung on to the raft. A passenger steamer passed nearby, but he was unnoticed in the dark. As daylight dawned on the 22nd, Sunday, the Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 came to his rescued. [ibid, pgs 209-13]

"Marshall F. Butters", (a wooden lumber carrier) down bound to Cleveland with a cargo of shingles and lumber, entered Lake Erie from the Detroit River. The wind rose and the waves grew in height. The Butters turned into Lake Erie heading towards the Southeast Shoals Light, off the tip of Point Pelee. The wooden ship could not take the pounding of the waves. Settling into the lake, soon the boilers were extinguished and the Butters was at the mercy of the storm. Ten men set sail in the lifeboat, leaving only the Captain and two men on board the sinking vessel. The Pioneer Steamship Company’s "Frank R. Billings" and the "F.G. Hartwell". The "Billings" approach to give aid. Pouring ‘storm oil’ on the water, they were able to calm the seas enough to rescue Captain McClure and his two men. Meanwhile, the Hartwell rescued the men in the lifeboat. [ibid, pg 214]

A third ship the "D.L. Filer", a wooden schooner of 45 years, was headed from Buffalo to Saugatuck, Michigan with a load of coal. For two days, the "Filer" beat into the wind headed for the Detroit River at the western end of Lake Erie. Just off Bar Point, within sight of the mouth of the Detroit River, the pumps could no longer move the volume of water rushing into the holds and the seams began to open. In eighteen feet of water, she settled to the bottom. Six men climbed the foremast, while the Captain climbed the after mast. It looked like all seven of the crew could cling to the mast and weather the night. But the weight of six men snapped the fore mast and five disappeared. Only one man made it to the after mast and climbed to safety. As dawn broke the horizon, the "Western States" came into sight and turned towards the two men clinging to the mast protruding from the shallows. As the steamer approached, one man slipped from the mast and was never seen again. Only the Captain John Mattison was rescued. [ ibid, pgs 215-16]

Meanwhile, the Canadian steamer "Merida"' disappeared that night. All 23 of her crew were found the next day bloating in mid-lake, only identified by their lifevest bearing the name "Merida". [ ibid, pgs 217]

Armistice Day, 1940

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, 1975

Once again it was a November storm that took the lives of men and their ship. It was November 9, 1975 that the "Fitzgerald" was downbound to Detroit with a load of taconite. The "Arthur M. Anderson" joined her on Lake Superior and was downbound for Gary, Indiana. As they were crossing Lake Superior the winter storm blew in. Winds were reported in excess of 50 knots (58 mph/93 km/h) with waves running up to 35 feet (10 m). The next day, Monday, November 10, eastern Lake Superior was still experiencing winds of 50 knots. That afternoon the "Anderson" reported being hit by a 75-knot gust. By 3:30 pm the "Fitzgerald" reported a minor list damage to its topside, destroying its radar. The "Fitzgerald" was leading, but slowed to close the distance between ships so that it could be guided by the "Anderson", who still had radar. Just after seven that night, the last radio contact from the "Fitzgerald" said that they were still managing. By 7:20 p.m. there was no more contact and the "Anderson" no longer saw the "Fitzgerald" on radar. [SS Edmund Fitzgerald]

ee also

*Great Lakes Storm of 1913
*List of victims of the 1913 Great Lakes storm

References