The Wreck of the Research Vessel Halcyon (1996)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Halcyon
• Official Number: None
• Type at Loss: Twin-hulled (“SWATH”) Steel Limnological Research Vessel
• Built: 1986, RMI, Inc. (Location Unknown) | Hull #1
• Specifications: 60 ft (18.3 m)
• Date of Loss: December 2, 1996
• Place of Loss: Muskegon Lake, Michigan
• Lake: Michigan
• Type of Loss: Hull Failure
• Loss of Life: None
• Cargo: Aquatic research gear
• Owner: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce
• Master: Capt. Bill Burns

Vessel Type

The Halcyon was a specialized limnological research vessel, designed with twin hulls in a SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin-Hull) configuration. This design allowed for increased stability in rough waters, making it ideal for aquatic research and environmental monitoring on the Great Lakes.

As a NOAA-operated research vessel, the Halcyon was equipped with advanced scientific instruments for studying freshwater ecosystems, water quality, and biological data within the Great Lakes basin.

Description

Launched in 1986, the Halcyon was a state-of-the-art vessel built to support NOAA’s research initiatives in the Great Lakes. The SWATH design was uncommon at the time, giving the vessel unique stability advantages over traditional monohull vessels—an essential trait for conducting precise scientific measurements in varied lake conditions.

She was primarily stationed in Muskegon Lake, where she served as a platform for limnological and environmental research under the command of Capt. Bill Burns.

Final Disposition

On December 2, 1996, while moored at her regular dock in Muskegon harbor, the Halcyon unexpectedly sprang a leak and sank. The cause was later determined to be compromised watertight integrity due to faulty internal Hull modifications.

Despite being lifted by a crane and refloated, the vessel was declared a Total Loss. The damage was too extensive for repair, and she was laid up on dry land at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in May 1998.

In July 1999, NOAA declared the Halcyon surplus, officially ending her short-lived career in scientific research.

Located By & Date Found

The Halcyon was raised shortly after her sinking but was not returned to service. No underwater remains of the wreck exist today.

NOTMARs & Advisories

There are no navigational warnings related to the wreck of the Halcyon, as she was removed from Muskegon Lake.

Resources & Links

• NOAA Great Lakes Research
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
• Bay Shipbuilding Company (Sturgeon Bay, WI)

Conclusion

The Halcyon was an innovative research vessel that represented a cutting-edge approach to limnological studies on the Great Lakes. Despite her short career, she contributed to NOAA’s mission of environmental research and aquatic science before her untimely loss in 1996.

Her sinking serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of modifying specialized vessels, as the compromised Hull integrity ultimately led to her demise. Though her research mission ended, the Halcyon’s legacy remains a part of NOAA’s ongoing work in Great Lakes science.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Halcyon research vessel, NOAA shipwreck, Great Lakes limnology, SWATH twin-Hull design, Muskegon Lake shipwreck, NOAA ship surplus.
Categories: Great Lakes research vessels, NOAA history, Scientific shipwrecks, Modern shipwrecks, Environmental studies in the Great Lakes.