The Most Shipwrecked Lakes in the US

Ghostly graveyards where sunken vessels lie trapped in time on the lake bed, North America’s Great Lakes hide a lot of secrets. Thousands of vessels have met a watery end in these five lakes, busy waterways that were once maritime highways delivering people, goods, and natural resources across the country.

Given that the Great Lakes were once the country’s busiest, it’s no surprise that they’re also the most shipwrecked. No one knows the exact number of boats lost in the lakes, but most estimates range from 6,000 to 10,000. Some of these wrecks date back to the 17th century, providing a window into a fascinating era in maritime history. Their stories speak to the unpredictability of these giant inland bodies of water, where storms can spring up quickly and calm waters hide deadly undertows. Below we list the most shipwrecked lakes by the number of shipwrecks documented.

1. Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan contains around 300 uncovered shipwrecks, according to the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, although many more lie undiscovered on the lakebed. Raging winds whipping across the surface of the 400-mile (643km) long lake have proved deadly for even the most experienced seamen. Despite the risk, Lake Michigan saw a lot of traffic in its long history, with Chicago operating one of the busiest harbours in the world and over 2,000 vessels registered at local ports by the early 1900s.

One of Lake Michigan’s most notable wrecks is the so-called ‘Christmas Tree Ship’. This was the schooner Rouse Simmons, which transported freshly cut trees to Chicago every holiday season. In November 1912, the ship set out for her last voyage but never arrived. Her whereabouts were a mystery, the only clue being Christmas trees that periodically washed ashore for several years. In 1971, a diver stumbled upon the wreck north of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, but questions remained over exactly how the ship was scuppered. Further investigation of the wreck yielded the answers. After noticing faults in the planking and tools scattered on the deck, archaeologists determined that the ship had been carrying too much weight to support the trees and had buckled under the strain. The crew had attempted to drop anchor to stabilize the ship but had been overcome by large, windswept waves.

2. Lake Erie

Suitably named, Lake Erie has one of the highest densities of shipwrecks in the world. According to an Ohio Sea Grant project, 277 wrecks have been discovered in the lake, which is the warmest, shallowest, and smallest of the Great Lakes. Most of these ill-fated vessels were brought down by storms, but some were also wrecked by collisions or fires. Lake Erie’s shallow waters conceal a number of hazards, such as rocky outcrops and shoals that lie in wait for a storm-tossed ship.

In 2015, local diving group the Cleveland Underwater Explorers found what’s believed to be the oldest shipwreck in Lake Erie, the remains of a 19th-century schooner called The Lake Serpent. In 1829, The Lake Serpent was en route to Cleveland carrying a cargo of limestone. It never arrived. The bodies of the captain and his brother washed ashore after the wreck, but the ship itself lay undiscovered for almost two hundred years.

3. Lake Superior

There are around 175 documented shipwrecks in Lake Superior, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. The largest and most northern of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior is well known for its sudden squalls, which are most active in October and November. The lake’s most famous wreck fell victim to one of those November storms in 1975 and was immortalized by folk musician Gordon Lightfoot a year later with his popular hit, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.

A cautionary reminder of Lake Superior’s savage weather, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was caught in a November gale that seemed to appear from nowhere and quickly intensified. The entire crew of 29 sailors died in the disaster. The freighter sank just 17 miles off Whitefish Point, home of the Whitefish Point Light Station and Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, which has led several expeditions to the wreck.

A little over a century before Fitzgerald met her untimely end, a three-masted schooner suffered the same fate. The Lucerne was a cargo ship, transporting corn, iron ore and coal throughout her short career. She set out for the last run of the season in November 1886 but never made it to port, falling victim to a storm and sinking in 17ft (5.1m) of water off the Long Island beach. Three of the crew were found frozen to death, their bodies clinging to the mast and covered in ice. Today, the remains of the Lucerne are well-preserved, making them a popular dive site. The hull is mostly intact and sits in 24ft (7.3m) of water.

4. Lake Huron

Around 100 shipwrecks have been uncovered in Lake Huron, most lying in the lake’s notorious “shipwreck alley”, a stretch of shoreline made treacherous by its combination of unpredictable weather, dense fog banks, and rocky shoals. The wrecks are protected by the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. As they explore Lake Huron’s waters, the Sanctuary’s research teams are continually adding to its collection, which spans 200 years of maritime history.

One of their most recent finds was the 191ft (58m) Ironton, which was found almost perfectly intact, sitting upright on the lakebed with its three masts upright. The Ironton sank in 1894 after a dramatic head-on collision with another ship, the steamer Ohio. Both vessels were irreparably damaged. The Ohio sank quickly, but its crew managed to escape on lifeboats. The Ironton stayed buoyant for longer, drifting for over an hour before sinking with the lifeboat still attached to the stern. Five of the crew were lost. The wreck of the Ohio was found in 2017, but the Ironton lay undisturbed until sonar imaging helped pinpoint its location in 2019.

5. Lake Ontario

No one knows for sure how many wrecks lie beneath the surface of Lake Ontario, the smallest and most easterly of the Great Lakes, but the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary protects nearly 70 of these relics from the past. These wrecks are open to the public, and many are easily accessible for experienced divers. One of the most visited is the St Peter, a 135 ft (41m), three-masted schooner sitting upright in 125 ft (38m) of water. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the ship sank in 1898 when it was overcome by high waves on its way to deliver coal to Niagara. St Peter’s Captain survived by clinging to the topmast and waiting for rescue, but the crew of four died.

In 2008, divers Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville made history when they came across the submerged remains of a British warship. The HMS Ontario was lost in 1780 and is now officially recognized as the oldest shipwreck in the Great Lakes. Remarkably well-preserved, the ship was found with its masts intact and cannons and guns still onboard. The exact location of the Ontario is undisclosed to protect it from looters and honor the wreck as a war grave.

Pieces of the Past

The Great Lakes are more like oceans than lakes, vast freshwater seas with plenty of shoreline, erratic weather, and narrow channels. That’s a dangerous combination for unwary sailors. It’s little wonder that the lakes have tragically swallowed thousands of ships throughout the centuries, but for many, their stories are not forgotten.

Frozen in time, these well-preserved wrecks have been protected from deterioration by the cold, freshwater of the Great Lakes. This provides archaeologists with an incredible opportunity to dive into the past, learning about the industrious seafarers who braved the lakes to transport vital cargo and help grow the North American economy. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point in Michigan brings these stories to life with fascinating exhibits and a collection of shipwreck memorabilia, including the 200lb (90kg) bronze bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Next time you’re snorkelling or diving in the Great Lakes, pay careful attention to your surroundings. With thousands of lost ships still waiting to be resurrected and remembered, you may just find a little piece of the past rising up out of the gloom below.