Note: Please refer to the book "Dangerous Coast" by Frederick Stonehouse and Dan Fountain for current information on the wrecks below
(1) Merchant - Wooden schooner, 78 gt., 77 ft., went missing with all hands June 13, 1847. Contemporary accounts place the foundering of this historic wreck around Grand Island. She remains undiscovered and is the subject of a continuous search.
(2) Superior - Wooden sidewheeler, 184 ft., 646 gt., driven against a reef October 30, 1856 at Pictured Rocks in a harrowing accident which claimed about 40 passengers' lives. The wreck lies in 10 to 15 ft. of water and is broken up. Her ribs and spine are sometimes covered by sand, but her boilers are present. LORAN: 31577.1 / 47429.0, LON/LAT: 46.33'05"/ 86.26'53".
(3) Oriole - Wooden schooner, 141 ft., 323 gt., cut in half in a collision with the steamer Illinois August 9, 1862 a good distance off Grand Island. Her bow remained afloat for some days, but her stern sank immediately. All 13 aboard perished with her. Her remains are likely in deep water.
(4) Oneida Chief - Wooden schooner, 262 gt., approximately 120 ft., broke up on shore at Au Sable Point, May 1868. The general location of this wreck is known, but she is likely buried in the sand just off the beach. Approximate LON/LAT: 46.40'3"/86.09'2"
(5) Burmuda - Wooden schooner, 394 gt., approximately 130 ft., sunk in Murray Bay, October, 1870. This wreck was confused for many years with the Dreadnaught and the Granada which were both salvaged from wrecks in Murray Bay. The wreck is intact in 12 to 30 ft. of water in remarkable condition for a shallow wreck. LORAN: 31649.5 / 47432.2, LON/LAT: 46.27'87" / 86.38'79"
(6) Mary M. Scott - Wooden schooner, 361 gt, approximately 150 ft., sank near Grand Island, November 2, 1870. It is unclear if this vessel was salvaged. She may be one of the schooner skeletons lying off Sand Point in 10 to 20 ft. of water. LON/LAT: 46.27'53"/86.36'40".
(7) Marquette - Wooden schooner, 131 ft., 400 gt., blown up on beach across from and West of Grand Island, November 13, 1872. The general location of this wreck is known, but her remains are probably buried in the sand just off the beach. Approximate LON/LAT: 46.27'5"/86.43'0".
(8) Union - Wooden propeller, 434 gt., 163 ft., broke up on the beach at Au Sable Point, September 25, 1873. General location is known, but she is likely buried in sand just off the beach. Approximate LAT/LON: 46.40'2"/86.09'8"
(9) F. Morrell - Wooden bark, 144 ft, 369 gt., two masts, grounded on a sandbar near Grand Island 1874. Broken up in 15 ft. of water on Northwest side of Grand Island. LON/LAT: 46.32'82"/86.42'88".
(10) Chenango - Wooden schooner, 384 gt., approximately 150 ft., blown onto Wood Island Reef, November 20, 1875. This wreck is largely broken up and scattered in 15 ft. of water South of Wood Island. LORAN: 31665.2 / 47391.1, LON/LAT: 46.30'19" / 86.44'65".
(11) Annie Coleman - Wooden schooner, approximately 100 ft., ran ashore in fog West of Grand Marias and broke up, July 19, 1879. Crew had to walk 70 mi. to Marquette. Hull pieces on the beach at the Hurricane River have been attributed to her. More likely, she lies closer to Grand Marias and is now buried in the sand.
(12) Starlight - Wooden sail yacht, under 50 ft., lost in a gale off Au Train, September 29, 1880 with 5 hands. This wreck may yet be found. It probably lies in or just off Au Train Bay based upon its course and wreckage field
(13) Mary Jarecki - Wooden steamer, 200 ft., 645 gt., broke up at Au Sable Point, July 4, 1883. General location of this vessel is known. Hull pieces exposed on and around the beach at the Hurricane River probably belong to her. Approximate LON/LAT: 46.40'0"/86.10'2"
(14) Wabash - Wooden schooner, 680 gt., 140 ft., blown ashore at Pictured Rocks November 16, 1883. Broke up 100 ft off of the cliffs. Her remains are scattered just East of Grand Portal Point. LON/LAT: 46.33'64"/86.26'30".
(15) E.A. Mayes - Wooden schooner, approximately 140 ft., sunk by ice 7 mi. off Grand Island, May 10, 1884. This wreck is probably in very deep water as she was bound for Thunder Bay, Canada when lost.
(16) Smith Moore - Wooden Steamer, 223 ft, 1191 gt., sunk by collision with steamer James Pickands in the East Channel, July 13, 1889. The remains of the Smith Moore are in 90 to 110 ft. of water and are largely intact although her upper works were blown off in sinking. Location, LORAN: 31642.3 / 47444.2, LON/LAT: 46.27'23" / 86.36'84".
(17) Cruiser - Small wooden sail yacht, under 40 ft., swamped at Chapel Rock, August 21, 1890. General location is known, but this vessel likely broke up on the rocks and is widely scattered.
(18) George - Wooden schooner, 203 ft., 790 gt., driven aground 100 ft off shore at Pictured Rocks, October 24, 1893. Remains of this vessel are in 10 to 30 ft. of water and are completely broken. Location, LORAN: 31604.5 / 47430.6, LON/LAT: 46.31'02" / 86.31'20".
(19) Elma - Wooden schooner, 165 ft. x 30 ft. x10 ft., 401 gt., three masts, driven aground 100 ft. off Pictured Rocks, just off Miner's Castle, September 28, 1895. This wreck is broken up in 15 ft. of water. LON/LAT: 46.27'60"/86.35'55"
(20) Michael Groh - Wooden steamer, 141.5 ft. x 25.7 ft. x 10.7 ft., 289 gt., driven ashore off Pictured Rocks, November 22, 1895. Located very near Elma wreck. LON/LAT: 46.27'70/86.35'87".
(21) A.A. Parker - Wooden steamer, 246 ft., 1660 gt., foundered September 19, 1903 in a gale 4 miles off of Grand Marais. This wreck has yet to be found despite sinking in a known location at a diveable depth.
(22) Manhatten - Wooden steamer, 252 ft. x 38 ft. x 19 ft., 1545 gt., grounded and burned at North shore of East Channel October 26, 1903. Remains drifted to Sand Point, later dynamited. Remains are in 20 to 30 ft. Timbers and machinery remain. LORAN: 31638.2 / 47438.1, LON/LAT: 46.28'04" / 86.36'56".
(23) Sitka - Wooden steamer, 272 ft., 1740 gt., grounded on Au Sable Reef, about 1 mi. off shore, October 4, 1904. The vessel is completely broken in 15 ft. of water. A 225 ft. portion of her hull is just offshore East of the Hurricane River. LORAN: 31474.0 / 47421.1, LON/LAT: 46.40'87" / 86.09'00".
(24) Alta - Wooden schooner, 198 ft., 935 gt., broke up on a shoal on Southeast Grand Island October 19, 1905. The Alta remains undiscovered despite intensive searches. She is thought to lie off of Trout Point.
(25) Culligan - Wooden steamer, 263 ft., 1748 gt., sunk within a few miles Northwest of Grand Island due to leakage, September 27, 1912. The Culligan has not yet been located, but she may be in very deep water.
(26) South Shore - Wooden steamer, 84 ft., 73 gt., overwhelmed by a gale and broke up 100 yards offshore, 7 miles West of Grand Marias, November 24, 1912. Although this wreck's general location is known, her remains have yet to be found.
(27) Henry B. Smith - Steel steamer, 525 ft., 6631 gt., went missing with all hands somewhere between Marquette and Grand Island, November 9, 1913. This vessel has not yet been found. She may be in very deep water.
(28) Gales Staples - Wooden steamer, 277 ft., 2197 gt., driven aground and broke up on Au Sable Reef, October 1, 1918. She lies scattered off Au Sable Point in 20 ft. of water. LON/LAT: 46.40'77"/86.09'10"
(29) Wood Island - Wooden tug, 45 ft., burned and sank 1 and 1/2 miles off Five Mile Point in about 60 ft. of water on September 9, 1922. Although her general location is fairly well known, the remains of this vessel have yet to be found.
(30) Herman H. Hettler - Wooden steamer, 210 ft., 789 gt., driven ashore at Trout Point, November 23, 1926, later dynamited. The Hettler lies in 10 to 40 ft. of water, broken and scattered. Timbers, minor structure and fittings remain. LORAN: 31632.1 / 47431.3, LON/LAT: 46.29'05" / 86.35'98".
(31) Kiowa - Steel Steamer, 251 ft., 2309 gt., driven ashore at Au Sable Reef with the loss of her Captain and 3 hands, November 30, 1929. Her superstructure and part of her hull were removed for scrap during WWII. The remains of the Kiowa lie in 30 to 40 ft. of water. Major engine componants remain along with large parts of the hull. Some penetration is possible. LORAN: 31499.8 / 47425.1, LON/LAT: 46.38'73" / 86.13'26".
(32) Steven M. Selvick - Steel Tug, 71 ft., intentionally sunk of Trout Point in May of 1996 for the Alger Underwater Preserve. She is totally intact in 60 ft. of water and rises to within 30 ft. of the surface. LORAN: 31629.8 / 47427.4, LON/LAT: 46.29'55"/ 86.35'85".
References: Old World Chart Shop: Alger Underwater Preserve Map (Randy Beebe), Paul Ackerman: Lake Superior Dive Chart - Midwest Explorer's League, Fred Stonehouse: Munising Shipwrecks, Steve Harrington: Divers Guide to Michigan, Dr. Julius F. Wolff Jr's. Lake Superior Shipwrecks, James Marshall: Shipwrecks of Lake Superior, Dives by author, Milwaukee Public Library: Herman G. Runge Collection.
Notes: The wrecks of the Elma, Michael Groh, and Mary M. Scott must be considered tentative identifications due to conflicting data. Coordinates are accurate to 100 ft., approximate coordinates are accurate to .10 mile. Coordinates of recently located wrecks may not be included; feel free to submit them. Coordinate conversions were made from LORAN to LON/LAT with a GPS system using the WGS 84 Datum. Wrecks at Grand Marais were not included except A.A. Parker.