Barge No.1

 | By Seamus on 4/22/2015 10:08:10 PM | Views (7) After a former life as a car ferry for the Lake Michigan Car Ferry Transportation Company, Barge No.1 was converted to a lumber barge in 1910. On Friday, November 8, 1918, in tow of the Matthew Wilson, and battling high seas all day, and carrying a heavy deck load of lumber and 200 crates of live chickens. While entering Thunder Bay she started to roll heavily and reportedly broke in two. She may have just floundered and settled to the bottom but either way much of her cargo later washed ashore along the beaches of Thunder Bay, "some of it still scratching". The next morning found Barge No.1 settled to the bottom. The Thunder Bay Island Coast Guard crew reportedly planned a big chicken “feed.” The crew was rescued by the steamer SONORA while the WILSON continued to pull on the tow line to keep the hulk of the barge from drifting in the heavy seas while the SONORA rescued the crew. The Wilson sought refuge from the heavy seas over night at the Cement Company's docks and went back out the next morning to verify she had sunk. There is a real possibility that this wreck and that of the schooner JOHNSON are interchanged.

Builder:  James Davidson, Bay City
Built:  1895
Date and Type of Loss:  November 8, 1918 - Foundered after grounding on N. Point reef in a storm
Dimensions:  310x44x12 - 1544 gross tons
Depth:  45 feet
Level of Dive:  Recreational
Condition:  Complete but collasped. Large steering quadrant, starboard davits, second deck supports. Large Timbers!
Loss of Life:  

Sources: Bedford 2000; Hoagman 1999; NOAA 1999; Stonehouse 1992; Swayze 1999; McConnell; Kauffman; Barker; Sobczak

Catch Information

Species:
Flounder

Structure Information

Barge No.1 is a fishing spot. A shipwreck or wreckage from a sunken vessel is located at this spot. An artificial or natural reef that attracts fish can be found here.

Fishing Spot

Reef

Shipwreck

This fishing spot was added to the database on 4/22/2015 10:08:10 PM by Seamus and last updated on 4/22/2015 10:08:10 PM.

Location

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