Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Harsen
• Vessel Type: Wooden Sandsucker Barge
• Depth: Not specified (capsized and moved out of shipping lanes)
• Location: Pelee Passage
• Coordinates: Not specified
• Year Built: Not specified
• Built At: Not specified
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Builder: Not specified
• Original Owner: Not specified
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 157 feet
  • Beam (Width): Not specified
  • Depth: Not specified

Vessel Type Description

The Harsen was a wooden sandsucker Barge, a type of vessel designed for dredging operations, primarily used for sucking up sand and silt from the bottom of waterways to maintain navigable channels.

History

On September 4, 1926, the Harsen capsized and sank in the Pelee Passage. The cause of the capsizing remains unspecified, but such vessels were often susceptible to instability due to the nature of their operations. The wreck was later relocated out of the shipping lanes to prevent it from posing a hazard to navigation.

Final Disposition

• Date of Loss: September 4, 1926
• Cause of Loss: Capsized
• Salvage Operations: Moved out of shipping lanes

Tags

• Shipwreck
• Sandsucker Barge
• Pelee Passage
• Lake Erie
• Maritime History
• Dredging Operations

Conclusion

The Harsen serves as a reminder of the perils faced by vessels engaged in dredging operations, a vital yet risky part of maintaining navigable waterways. Despite its ultimate fate, the Harsen played a crucial role in the infrastructure of its time.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Research