Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Adella Shores (1894)

Explore the wreck of the Adella Shores, a wooden steamship lost in 1909, now discovered in Lake Superior, offering insights into maritime history.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Adella Shores
  • Type: Wooden steamship
  • Year Built: 1894
  • Builder: Shores Lumber Company, Gibraltar, Michigan
  • Dimensions: 195 ft (59.4 m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: 735 tons (approx. 666.6 metric tonnes)
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 198 m / 650 ft
  • Location: Approximately 40 miles northwest of Whitefish Point, Lake Superior
  • Official Number: Not available
  • Original Owners: Shores Lumber Company
  • Number of Masts: Not specified

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden steamship

Description

The Adella Shores was a wooden-hulled steamship constructed in 1894 by the Shores Lumber Company in Gibraltar, Michigan. Measuring 195 feet in length and weighing 735 gross tons, she was designed for bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. The vessel was named after the owner’s daughter, Adella, and was christened by her sister, Bessie, with a bottle of water instead of the traditional champagne, reflecting the family’s temperance beliefs.

History

On April 29, 1909, the Adella Shores departed Ludington, Michigan, bound for Duluth, Minnesota, carrying a cargo of salt. She was following the larger steel steamship Daniel J. Morrell through thick ice floes on Lake Superior. As both vessels rounded Whitefish Point, they encountered a fierce northeast gale. The Adella Shores, trailing two miles behind the Morrell, disappeared from sight and was never seen again. It is believed that the vessel struck a large ice floe, puncturing her hull and causing her to sink rapidly. All 14 crew members were lost, and only some debris was found in the aftermath.

Significant Incidents

  • May 1, 1909: The Adella Shores was lost during a storm, presumed to have collided with an ice floe.
  • All 14 crew members were lost with the vessel.

Final Disposition

The Adella Shores was declared a total loss following her disappearance. There were no survivors, and the vessel was considered one of the many ships that “went missing” on the Great Lakes.

Current Condition & Accessibility

In the summer of 2021, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) discovered the wreck of the Adella Shores approximately 40 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in over 650 feet (198 metres) of water. The discovery was made using side-scan sonar, and the identity of the vessel was confirmed with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The GLSHS announced the find on May 1, 2024, marking the 115th anniversary of the ship’s disappearance.

There are no current navigational markers or advisories related to the wreck site of the Adella Shores near Whitefish Point, Lake Superior.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The discovery of the Adella Shores provides closure to a maritime mystery that lasted over a century. Her well-preserved wreck offers valuable insights into early 20th-century shipbuilding and the perils faced by vessels navigating the Great Lakes. The find underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to locate and study shipwrecks, contributing to our understanding of maritime history.