COMET U5683

In the mid-1800s, the bustling waters of Lake Superior bore witness to the launch of the SS Comet, a wooden-hulled propeller-driven cargo vessel that would later become a passenger steamship. Built in 1857 by Peak and Masters of Cleveland, Ohio, along with her sister ship, the Rocket, the Comet was initially a workhorse, ferrying cargo across the vast Great Lakes.

The vessel underwent several ownership changes, eventually ending up in the hands of W.M. Hanna and George W. Chapin of Cleveland. But throughout her years of service, the Comet’s fate seemed inexplicably entwined with maritime accidents and misfortunes.

In 1863, the Comet was involved in a collision on Lake Erie that led to the sinking of another vessel. She ran aground off Port Washington, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan in 1865 and rammed and sank the sidewheeler Silver Spray in August 1869. That same year, the Comet herself sank after colliding with the propeller Hunter below Detroit, Michigan. Both ships were eventually raised and restored to service, but the Comet’s tumultuous journey was far from over.

The final chapter of the SS Comet’s story unfolded on the evening of August 26, 1875. Departing from Duluth, Minnesota, bound for Buffalo, New York, with stops along Lake Superior, the Comet was on a seemingly ordinary journey. As the clear, starlit night enveloped the vessel, she rounded Whitefish Point Light and proceeded on her usual southeast course to Point Iroquois Light.

However, fate had other plans. The lookout aboard the Comet spotted a white light directly in their path, and 15 minutes later, a red light appeared. In response, Captain Dugat altered the course slightly, but shortly after, green lights emerged, indicating the approach of another vessel. Realizing that he had inadvertently swung across the bow of a steamer, Captain Dugat sounded a warning whistle and ordered a hard turn, but it was too late.

The steamer Manitoba collided with the Comet, striking her stem about 20 feet forward of the stern on the port side. Tragedy struck swiftly as the Comet’s hull parted and sank almost immediately, with the upper works crumbling and sinking within a minute. The catastrophic impact claimed the lives of ten men, including those below deck.

Amidst the chaos, heroic efforts were made to rescue survivors. Six men courageously jumped from the wreck to the decks of the Manitoba, whose crew promptly launched boats to retrieve four more survivors. Captain Dugat and eight others managed to survive the harrowing collision.

Investigations in both the United States and Canada absolved Captain Dugat of any blame for the tragic accident. However, the wreckage of the SS Comet held a mysterious secret, leading to its nickname as the “only treasure ship of Lake Superior.” On her final journey, the Comet carried a substantial cargo of 70 tons of Montana silver ore, which remains lost to this day.

The mystery of the lost silver ore fueled numerous salvage attempts in subsequent years, including endeavors in 1876 and 1938, all of which proved futile. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the Comet’s remains were finally salvaged, albeit illegally, by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. The artifacts taken from the wreck now belong to the State of Michigan and are on display as part of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, paying tribute to the ship’s ill-fated legacy.

Today, the wreck of the SS Comet rests in the depths of Lake Superior, protected by the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve as part of an underwater museum. Its story serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of the Great Lakes and the bravery of those who traversed its waters, leaving behind a legacy shrouded in mystery and tragedy.