Shipwreck Report: Wood Island (1907–1922)

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Wood Island (formerly Lyle D.)
• Official Number: 206510
• Vessel Type: Wooden Gasoline-Powered Tug (Formerly Passenger Vessel)
• Built: 1907, Racine, Wisconsin
• Final Location: Near Five-Mile Point, west of Munising, Michigan (Lake Superior)
• Date Lost: September 9, 1922
• Cause: Engine backfire, explosion, fire
• Final Cargo: Broomstick raft
• Loss of Life: None
• Owner at Loss: Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company
• Specifications
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Length: 45 feet (13.7 meters) Beam: 11 feet (3.4 meters)  Depth: 5 feet (1.5 meters)
• Gross Tonnage: 10 gross tons
• Net Tonnage: 7 net tons

Operational History

The vessel was originally built in 1907 in Racine, Wisconsin, as a passenger vessel named Lyle D.. For the first 13 years of its career, the Lyle D. operated as a passenger transport on the Great Lakes, likely serving small communities and industries along the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior coasts.

In 1920, the vessel was sold and renamed Wood Island when it was converted into a gasoline-powered Tug for the Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company, a major iron ore shipping and mining operation.As a Tugboat, the Wood Island was used for towing rafts and barges along the Lake Superior shoreline, assisting with logging and mining operations near Munising, Michigan.

Final Voyage & Loss (September 9, 1922)

On September 9, 1922, the Wood Island was transporting a broomstick raft near Five-Mile Point, west of Munising, Michigan, on Lake Superior. A sudden fire broke out due to an engine backfire, rapidly spreading through the wooden Hull and fuel system.

The crew had no time to fight the fire and was forced to abandon ship.  As the flames engulfed the vessel, the crew dove overboard before the Tugboat exploded. Fortunately, all crew members were rescued by the nearby tugs Munis and Grand Island.

The Wood Island was completely destroyed, burning to the waterline and sinking in the shallow waters near Five-Mile Point.

Wreck Site and Potential Remains

• Location: Near Five-Mile Point, west of Munising, Michigan (Lake Superior)
• Depth: Unknown, likely shallow waters
• Current Condition:
  • Given that the vessel burned to a Total Loss, it is likely that only remnants of charred wooden planking, fastenings, or engine components remain.
• No known modern surveys or dive reports exist documenting the remains of the Wood Island.
• Due to its small size and wooden construction, the wreckage may have deteriorated significantly or been scattered by waves and ice over the past century.
• Exploration & Archaeological Interest:
  • The wreck has not been located or documented in contemporary shipwreck records.
  • If any remains exist, a side-scan sonar survey of the Five-Mile Point area could potentially detect remnants of the vessel.
• The Wood Island would be of interest to maritime historians studying early gasoline-powered tugs and their role in Great Lakes industry.

Legacy and Significance

An Example of Early Gasoline-Powered Tugs The Wood Island was built as a passenger vessel but later converted into a gasoline-powered Tug, demonstrating the technological shift from steam to gasoline propulsion in the early 20th century.

A Reminder of the Dangers of Wooden Hull Vessels with Gasoline Engines The engine backfire that led to the explosion highlights the risks associated with early gasoline-powered vessels, especially wooden-hulled ones. Fires and explosions were common causes of shipwrecks in this era, as fuel systems lacked modern safety features.

A Lost Piece of Great Lakes Industrial History  As part of the Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company’s operations, the Wood Island played a small but important role in supporting Michigan’s iron and timber industries. Its loss represents the risks faced by working vessels on Lake Superior, where storms, mechanical failures, and fires frequently ended careers at sea.

Further Research and Resources

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum https://www.shipwreckmuseum.com Preserves research and artifacts related to Great Lakes shipwrecks.
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca Contains archival records and historical accounts of Great Lakes vessels.
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Wisconsin and Michigan Shipwreck Databases  https://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org \ https://www.michigan.gov/mshda/ Includes records of shipwrecks in the Munising and Lake Superior regions.
• Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company Archives  https://www.clevelandcliffs.com  Company records may provide additional information about the Wood Island and its role in mining operations.

Conclusion

The Wood Island was a small but significant gasoline-powered Tugboat that played a role in logging and mining operations on Lake Superior Originally built as the passenger vessel Lyle D. in 1907, it was converted into a Tug in 1920 and operated by the Cleveland-Cliffs Mining Company.

It caught fire and exploded due to an engine backfire near Munising, Michigan, on September 9, 1922, but all crew members survived thanks to a timely rescue by nearby tugs. Though no known remains have been located, the Wood Island remains a notable example of the hazards faced by early gasoline-powered vessels on the Great Lakes.