Lake Huron, also known as the “Great Sweetwater Sea,” is North America’s second largest of the five Great Lakes. It has a maximum depth of 750 feet and encompasses 23,007 square miles. Because of its many shorelines and that it’s a connecting waterway of the four other Great Lakes, it has the most shipping traffic coming through it.
The French Explorers La Caron and Champlain first discovered Lake Huron in 1615. Both explorers were on separate trips when they met on Lake Huron and started exploring together. For the centuries that followed, Lake Huron became a major shipping route; during that time, many ships were lost beneath its waters. Many reasons caused the sinking of those ships, including strong storms, winds, ice, rogue waves, fog, and collisions.
So how many shipwrecks are there in Lake Huron? 41 shipwrecks have been located at the bottom of Lake Huron. There possibly could be 1,000 more shipwrecks that haven’t been found.
In this article, we will explore a few of the most famous shipwrecks found at the icy bottom of Lake Huron, and you will learn why those ships went down. You will also discover some interesting facts about Lake Huron.
How Many Shipwrecks Are in Lake Huron?
With the thousand or so shipwrecks in Lake Huron, only 41 of those have been located. There are many causes of why ships sink. One of the major causes is winter storms that come across the Great Lakes with hurricane-forced winds. These winter storms seem to come out of nowhere, giving ships traveling on Lake Huron little chance to seek shelter.
Ships will sometimes be swamped by a rogue wave or smashed against the many rocky shorelines of Lake Huron. Another significant cause is the fog that set in over the lake, causing ships to collide, resulting in the sinking. Because of modern technology, ships are much safer than they were in the past.
8 Shipwrecks on Lake Huron Caused By The Great Lakes Storm of 1913
Lake Huron took the brunt of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, which devastated the Great Lakes from November 7 to 10, 1913. This massive storm, also known as the “Freshwater Fury,” the “Big Blow,” the “November Witch, “and the “White Hurricane,” was in full force on November 9, 1913. This storm was actually two storms that combined to produce a significant storm.
There was little notice before the storm because the communications and weather prediction methods in 1913 were lacking. When the storm hit, the ships on the Great Lakes had little time to seek shelter.
During these four days of mayhem on the Great Lakes, there were hurricane-force winds coupled with blizzard-like conditions causing a total whiteout on the Great Lakes. Two hundred fifty people lost their lives during this incredible storm, and twelve ships sank, with eight wrecks occurring on Lake Huron. The following is a list of ships that went down on Lake Huron during the Great Storm of 1913.
| Ship Name | Date of Disaster | Loss of Life | Coordinates / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS Argus | November 09, 1913 | 28 | Point Aux Barques, Michigan |
| SS Charles S. Price | November 17, 1913 | 28 | 43° 11′ 53.99″ N, 82° 23′ 53.99″ W |
| SS Hydrus | November 8, 1913 | 27 | Goderich, Ontario |
| SS Isaac M. Scott | November 9, 1913 | 28 | 45° 3′ 55.2″ N, 83° 2′ 21.18″ W |
| SS James Carruthers | November 9, 1913 | 22 | 44° 48′ 3.6″ N, 82° 23′ 49.2″ W |
| SS John A. McGean | November 7 to 9, 1913 | 23 | 43° 57′ 11.76″ N, 82° 31′ 43.02″ W |
| SS Regina | November 9, 1913 | 20 | 43° 20′ 14.4″ N, 82° 26′ 45.6″ W |
| SS Wexford | November 9, 1913 | 17 to 24 | 43° 25′ 0″ N, 81° 55′ 0″ W |
SS Argus
The Argus sank in Lake Huron on November 09, 1913. She was headed north into Lake Huron and about 13 miles north of Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan, when she broke in two and sank, taking with her 28 souls.
She was initially named SS Lewis Woodruff and was built by the American Shipbuilding Company in 1905. In 1913 she was bought by the Interlake Steamship Company and renamed the Argus. She was a 4,707-ton steel-hulled Great Lakes Freighter and sank with a cargo of coal at a loss of $136,000, a significant sum for the time.
The SS Argus was located in 1972 by a diver named Dick Race at a depth of 250 feet near Bayfield, Ontario.
SS Charles S. Price
The Charles S. Price was launched in 1910 and was a steel-hulled Great Lakes Freighter that was damaged on November 9, 1913, and sank on November 17, 1913, near Sturgeon Point, Michigan, on Lake Huron.
Attempts to salvage and float her were made in 1916 because she lost $340,000. Salvage operations were abandoned because it was deemed too expensive to raise her. In total, 28 people lost their lives in the SS Charles C. Price wreck. She now lies at a depth of approx 75 feet and is a popular ship for beginner divers to dive on.
Diving Deeper: Which Great Lake Has The Most Shipwrecks?
SS Hydrus
The SS Hydrus sank on November 8, 1913, carrying a load of iron ore and was headed for the St. Clair River. She was a Great Lakes Bulk Freighter initially launched as the R.E. Schuck. She couldn’t withstand the 90 mph winds and rogue waves and foundered near Goderich, Ontario, with 27 crew members aboard.
One of her lifeboats washed ashore with the bodies of five frozen crew members aboard. The wreck of the Hydrus was located in 2015 by David Trotter, a shipwreck hunter, and lies upright and intact at a depth of 160 feet.
SS Isaac M. Scott
The Isaac M. Scott was on its way from Cleveland, Ohio, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a load of coal when it was caught in the Great Storm of 1913. She was about 7 miles northeast of Thunderbay Island near Sturgeon Point, Michigan, when she sank with 28 crew members aboard.
She remained missing for 63 years until she was located in 1976 at a depth of 180 feet about six miles from Northpoint, Michigan. The Scott is one of a hundred shipwrecks within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve.
SS James Carruthers
The James Carruthers was a great lakes freighter out of Canada. She sank on November 9, 1913, while hauling 375,000 bushels of wheat headed for Georgian Bay. Twenty-two men lost their lives in the wreck. Bodies and wreckage started to wash ashore near Kincardine and Clark Point, about seventy miles from where she was supposed to be.
The sinking of the James Carruthers remains a mystery to this day because the wreck has yet to be found, and it was a newly built ship in 1913, so the reason for her sinking remains a mystery.
SS John A. McGean
The steamship John A. McGean was transporting a load of coal when a rogue wave overcame it and foundered between November 7 to 9, 1913, near Sturgeon Point, Michigan, in Lake Huron. All 23 of McGean’s crew perished in the disaster.
On November 12, 1913, her wheelhouse washed ashore near Bayfield, confirming that she did sink. She was located in 1985 off Harbour Beach close to Michigans Thumb at a depth of 175 feet. She was a financial loss of $240,000.
Digging Deeper: How Many Shipwrecks Are in Lake Michigan?
SS Regina
The SS Regina was a Canadian Cargo ship that sank on November 9, 1913, while sailing north on Lake Huron from Point Edward, Ontario. The worst part of the Great Lakes storm of 1913 hit the lake hard that day and severely damaged Regina. The Regina was able to anchor about 7 miles east of Lexington, Michigan, but she soon ran aground and foundered. She was hauling a mixed cargo at the time of her sinking, including 140 tons of baled hay, canned goods, and sewer pipes.
All 20 crew members died due to the disaster, even though they successfully lowered the lifeboats. Ten bodies washed ashore from the Regina; two were near a capsized lifeboat.
Until Regina was located in 1986, she was known as the “Great Mystery of the Great Storm of the Great Lakes.” The wreck was found about 80 feet below the surface of Lake Huron between Lexington and Port Sanilac, Michigan. The wreck site of the Regina is now a popular diving area.
SS Wexford
The SS Wexford was a British-built cargo ship launched on March 24, 1883. The Wexford was hauling 96,000 bushels of wheat when she sank on November 9, 1913, on Lake Huron near Grand Bend, Ontario.
The wreck of Wexford was located on August 25, 2000, at a depth of 75 feet. In honor of the 100th anniversary of her sinking, a copper wreath was placed on the wreck.
Conclusion – How Many Ships Are In Lake Huron?
Now you know that there are 41 located shipwrecks found in Lake Huron, with up to a thousand more that have not been found. The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 was one of the worst weather events to come upon the Great Lakes, with Lake Huron taking the brunt of the storm and sinking eight ships.
I hope you found this article interesting and informative and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. We would also love to hear from you if you have dived on these wrecks. Until next time Happy Wreck Hunting!