Posted by Scott McWilliam on January 02, 19100 at 19:17:58:
In Reply to: L. C. Waldo posted by eshearson on December 31, 1999 at 11:02:20:
L.C. Waldo 451 feet in lenght, 4,466 tons, left Duluth with good weather November 6, 1913 to pick up a cargo of iron ore. November 7th wheather goes for a dump 60 mph winds and a severe drop in temperature. Ship loads and sails from Two Harbours December 7. At 11:45 p.m. a huge wave rakes the ship from stern to bow crushing the pilot house and sweeping it overboard with the ships compass, Captain Duddleson a mate and wheelsman narrowly escape being swept over the side. Captain retires to auxilary wheel at the stern and secure a hand held compass from one of the lifeboats. They attempt to stear for shelter at Bete Grise Bay but in heavey seas and with there makeshift navigation system theu are tossed up on Gull Island where the ship immeadetly breaks inn two.
The entire crew is huddeled in the forward windlass room and use the captain's bathtub as a makeshift stove. For three days 23 men have two cans of preserves to eat. They are finaly resqued by the Daniel H. Hebard and the Eagle Harbour lifeboat. Every man in the Egale Harbour lifeboats recieves the U.S. Treasury Department's Gold Medal of Honor. The Waldo was salvaged in 1914. Captain retires and never sails again.
Sounds like Grandad was lucky to make it out of that one. It would be interesting to do some more research and find out if he was the mate who had the close call when the pilot house went over the side.
: I am looking for information on the L. C. Waldo which was wrecked on Gull Rock in Lake Superior in November 1913. My grandfather, Louis JOnes, was second mate on the boat at the time of the wreck.