Flashback

A Fresh Look and some Treasures from the Past!

The summer of 2018, once again found Cindy & Mike Lynch and Christ Roth teaming up to explore some of the Thumb Areas previously discovered but mostly forgotten shipwrecks. The modern-day visibility has revealed how our shipwrecks are in a constant state of change (sometimes drastically). We also found that sometimes, shipwrecks are actually constructed different, than originally thought. The fabulous visibility has also allowed broken up shipwrecks to be documented, in ways that it was never thought possible. Join us, while we explore the Tug Fred Lee and see the dramatic changes that have taken place, over time. We are able to correct the documentation, on the Schooner Arcturus and then take a close look at the Steamer Iron Chief.

Arcturus
The Arcturus was a 139ft 2 masted schooner built in 1853 by F.D. Ketcham in Huron, Ohio. In 1881 the Arcturus was converted to a barge. On August 19th, 1888, the Arcturus was under tow by the tug Brady when she sprung a leak and sunk. At the time of her sinking she was carrying a load of sand. The final location of the wreck is approximately 20 miles north of Point Aux Barques, Michigan in Lake Huron. The vessel was originally discovered by Dave Trotter in 2002. Now almost 20 years later, we re-investigate the shipwreck site. With improved visibility and technology we are able to correct previous documentation about the wreck.

Iron Chief
The Iron Chief was a wooden 4 masted schooner-barge that was built in Detroit, MI in 1881. The Iron Chief was 212.33 feet long. On October 3rd, 1904, bound for Fort William, Ont with a load of coal, the stern pipe broke in heavy seas. The ship filled with lake water and sank. The crew of the Iron Chief were rescued by the steamer Andrew Carnegie and were safely delivered to Alpena, MI.

Fred Lee
The Fred Lee was a wooden tugboat built in Port Huron, MI in 1896. The Lee is 70 feet long with a 16-foot beam. She was headed to Sault Ste. Marie when she foundered in heavy seas and sank immediately on November 13th, 1936. All 5 crew were lost. Today she sits upright and intact on the bottom. The exhaust funnel used to be standing but has recently fallen on the wreck. Triple steam whistles and the wheel of the ship can be seen on the wreck.

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CONTACT MICHIGAN DIVERS

Address

Port Austin
967 Port Austin Road
Port Austin, MI 48467

Attica
1265 Mitchell Lake Road
Attica, MI 48412

Contacts

Email: info@michigandiver.com
Phone: (810) 214-0082

Links

Michigan Shipwreck Preserves
Thumb Area Charter Captains