![]() This book, and other shipwreck books by Fred Stonehouse, are for sale at the Shipwreck Tours Bookstore. This report is from the book Dangerous Coast: Pictured Rocks Shipwrecks by Fred Stonehouse and Daniel Fountain, Avery Color Studios, Marquette Michigan, 1997. With the establishment of the Underwater Preserve and the education of divers about the cultural importance of shipwrecks, the deterioration of the wreck has slowed dramatically. ![]() larger, all-sail iron bulk-cargo ships (many of them. Over the years, diver traffic on the wreck has resulted in the destruction of some bulkheads, as well as the loss of an iron stove and other artifacts which could tell about the sailors’ lives. that affect the archaeological record that it is rarely possible to establish conclusions that. The large rectangular opening near the stern marks the location of the BERMUDA’s trunk cabin, which contained the galley and quarters for some of her crew. What looks like a heavy wooden bulkhead running down the center of the hull and visible through the midships cargo hatch and broken decking is actually the centerboard trunk with the centerboard still raised up in it. The port rail for some 55 feet at the stern has been torn loose, most likely by modern dive boats before the establishment of the Alger Underwater Preserve and the current system of mooring buoys. The deck between the forward and aft hatches is badly broken, probably from the 18 salvage operations. The BERMUDA had three hatches giving access to the cargo hold, as well as two companionways and the large cabin trunk near the stern. The foremast hole can be seen about 30 feet from the bow. ![]() Consequently, she remains in remarkably good condition her only major wounds are those inflicted by her salvagers.Īll of the vessel’s spars and rigging are gone, but the locations of her two masts are still apparent. The vessel lies in 25 feet of water in the shelter of the bay, protected from the ravages of Lake Superior’s storm waves and the grinding destruction of winter’s ice. The Murray Bay wreck provides a near unique opportunity to study an intact mid-19th century canal schooner. In June of 1960 local scuba divers extensively salvaged much of the remaining ore cargo for souvenirs for a regional rock and mineral show. The following year the wrecking schooner JOHNSON attempted to raise the BERMUDA, but without success. The WILLIAMS did manage to remove more than 120 tons of ore, but whether at the Anna River or in Murray Bay isn’t known. Once in the bay however, the lifting chains apparently slipped and the schooner settled on the bottom again. Thirteen years later, in October 1883, Captain Higgins of the wrecking tug KATE WILLIAMS successfully raised the BERMUDA and towed her into Murray Bay. ![]()
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