NORTH WIND

Site Description

The North Wind, a package freighter built in 1888, had a remarkable history in the maritime world. Constructed in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Globe Iron Works, this steel vessel was owned by the Northern Steamship Co. of Duluth, Minnesota. The North Wind belonged to a group of sister ships, including the North Light, North King, North Queen, North Wave, and North Star. Noteworthy features of the ship included two watertight bulkheads and double-bottom ballast tanks.

Powered by a triple expansion engine with three cylinders, the North Wind utilized two boilers and a single propeller for propulsion. The engine, manufactured by Globe Iron Works, generated 1,150 horsepower at 78 revolutions per minute. Accompanying the engine were scotch boilers, also produced by Globe Iron Works, measuring 14 by 12 feet 6 inches and capable of withstanding 160 pounds of steam pressure.

Impressively sized, the North Wind spanned 299.5 feet in length, 40.8 feet in beam, and had a depth of 21.6 feet. With a gross tonnage of 2,476.35 and a net tonnage of 1,885.14, the freighter had a substantial carrying capacity of 3,000 tons. Designed as a package freighter, it served as a vital link in the transportation of goods across the Great Lakes.

Sadly, the North Wind met its final fate on a fateful day. Located a quarter mile northeast of Robertson Rock, near Clapperton Island in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, the vessel grounded on a rock during foggy conditions. Eventually, it slid into deep water, coming to rest at a final depth ranging from 80 to 120 feet. Although the ship was lost, the crew members on board were successfully rescued from the ill-fated vessel.

Throughout its years of service, the North Wind encountered various incidents that marked its eventful history. In 1888, shortly after its launch, the ship grounded and sustained damage near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Another notable event occurred in 1889 when the North Wind collided with the tug International and the schooner Theodore Voges near Amherstberg, Ontario. In 1891, the freighter was involved in a collision with the steamer Lackawanna in Buffalo, New York.

Over time, the ownership of the North Wind changed hands, with the Great Lakes Transit Co. of Buffalo acquiring the vessel in 1916. Subsequently, it was owned by the Intercoast Steamship Co. of Boston, Massachusetts during World War I, where it operated in the Atlantic Ocean. During this period, the ship underwent reconstruction, resulting in a new tonnage of 2,599 gross and 1,526 net tons. In 1923, the Buckeye Steamship Co. of Cleveland, Ohio took ownership and converted the vessel into a bulk freighter, although the exact year of this conversion remains unclear.

Unfortunately, the North Wind’s story concluded in July 1926 when it met its final demise, succumbing to the perils of the sea. The exact circumstances leading to its wreck remain undisclosed. Nonetheless, the North Wind’s legacy lives on as a testament to the resilience and significance of freighters in the maritime trade of the Great Lakes region. From transporting packages and goods to enduring challenging conditions, the North Wind played a vital role in facilitating commerce and connecting communities across the vast waters.

On July 1, 1926, the North Wind was steaming along Lake Huron’s North Channel on what was reported, as a beautiful clear day. Inexplicably, she struck Robertson Rock. The crew abandoned the ship and the North Wind sank. Today, the wreck of the North Wind is very nearly intact and lies at moderate depths, ranging from 80′ to 130′ which 12′ of them are below the bottom.