Researchers find unique whaleback barge sunk in Lake Superior 120 years ago
WHITEFISH POINT, Mich. – The vessel’s name was long rusted away, but shipwreck researchers recognized underwater images of the pig snoutlike bow as one of the final whalebacks to be discovered in Lake Superior.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society announced the discovery of Barge 129 on Wednesday — a day shy of the 120th anniversary of its sinking. The cargo ship, built in Superior, Wis., and based in Duluth, was found 35 miles off Vermilion Point in 650 feet of water. It was discovered in 2021 alongside eight other wrecks, including the Atlanta, but researchers didn’t positively identify the ship until they sent down a remotely operated vehicle in August.
“People have been searching for that for a long time,” said Corey Adkins, communications director at the historical society. “We got it.”
Video and still images on the historical society museum’s website show a ship in pieces — seemingly ripped in half. The tow line is still connected, along with the identifying snout.
“There’s the three rings,” Darryl Ertel Jr., the historical society’s director of marine operations, says in a video from the discovery, a nod to the piggish bow. He describes the ship as a “rust bucket.”
Barge 129 was carrying iron ore on Oct. 13, 1902, when stormy waters caused the tow line to snap between it and the steamer Maunaloa. The tow ship turned back to reconnect, but instead collided with it, Maunaloa’s anchor ripping into the side of the barge. The crew of eight men, plus Capt. Josiah Bailey, were all saved by the men aboard Maunaloa. The whaleback reportedly sank within 10 to 15 minutes.
“[Barge] 129 didn’t have propulsion and was at the mercy of Lake Superior,” Adkins said.
The Duluth Herald at the time reported that the ship was worth $50,000 and that the 2,360 tons of ore that went down with it was worth $10,000. Adkins added that the captain received $50 and the crew $35 for lost clothing.
Whaleback ships were designed by Capt. Alexander McDougall, a Great Lakes seaman based in Duluth. The ships had a curved body, often described as cigar-shaped, and when loaded with freight laid low in the water and resembled a whale.
“Old schooners were sloppier and heavier — these were meant to glide through the water better,” Adkins said. “They were built to be unsinkable, but most of them sank.”
According to an article on the Minnesota Digital Library, the last whaleback in service was the Meteor. It ran aground near Gull Island in 1969, and the hull was damaged. Rather than fix it, its owners donated it to the city of Superior. It’s now a museum at Barker’s Island.
Barge 129, at 292 feet long, was launched in mid-May 1893 on a day that offered visitors a look at the Christopher Columbus, a ship that would be a shuttle for the Chicago World’s Fair.
“Superior never saw a prettier day and nearly every man, woman and child who was not required to remain at home, including hundreds from Duluth, found their way to the American Steel Barge Company to witness the launching of Barge 129 and inspect the great whaleback passenger boat Christopher Columbus,” the Minneapolis Tribune reported.
Minneapolis Tribune
Detroit sees record cruise ship activity in 2022. Here’s what the season looked like
DETROIT, MI – Cruise ships docked in Detroit more than 50 times during the 2022 season, a record and more than double the amount of dockings in Detroit in 2019, the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority and a coalition of Midwest states, cruise lines and others said Friday.
The announcement coincided with the final weekend of cruise ships docking in Detroit. Le Bellot, a cruise ship operated by the French cruise operator Ponant, was docked in Detroit on Friday. Ponant cruises in the Great Lakes go to locations such as Toronto, Mackinac Island and Milwaukee and start at about $5,800 for an eight-day cruise. That price includes accommodations, meals and drinks.
“Each of these visitors has had a great time in Detroit in the Motor City,” Mark Schrupp, executive director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, said. “They’re spreading the word about what a great time they had and what we have to offer.”
There were nearly 10,000 passenger visits to Detroit this year, which generated $1.2 million in economic impact for Detroit, Schrupp said. At least 11 different cruise ships are docking in Detroit next year, he said.
Across the Great Lakes ports in 2022, there were nearly 150,000 passenger visits, increasing more than 25% from 2019 and generating an economic impact of more than $125 million.
Nearly 170,000 cruise passenger visits to regional ports are expected next year, up 15% from 2022 with the addition of a second Viking ship Polaris and the Hanseatic Inspiration.
“We’re looking forward to the cruise line business growing over time, welcoming people from all over the world (who are) getting to see the real story about places like Detroit,” Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan and chair of Cruise the Great Lakes marketing program, said.
Detroit Free Press
