Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Donna Marie
- Type: Fishing tug
- Year Built: 1938
- Builder: Bodin & Mulke, Houghton Point, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Approx. 38 ft (11.6 m); 13 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 13 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 61 m / 200 ft
- Location: Approximately 15 miles off Duluth, MN
- Official Number: 237994
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A compact wooden fishing tug, designed for herring operations, equipped for setting and retrieving nets on Lake Superior. Powered by a gasoline engine.
Description
Small and sturdy, the Donna Marie was outfitted with deck gear for net hauling. Exact structural details are sparse, but as a purpose-built fishing craft, she featured a simple yet effective layout for lake operations.
History
Commissioned in 1938, she entered service under the command of Capt. A. Bodin. On her final voyage, the crew was actively pulling nets when another fish tug, the Sea Bird, approached—likely on a routine companion visit to “compare catches,” a common practice. Unfortunately, glare of ice-coated windows on Sea Bird obscured the Donna Marie. Her crew quickly realized the hazard, sounded the whistle, but the warning went unheard over engine noise. Sea Bird struck the Donna Marie broadside at about 6 knots, nearly bisecting her.
Significant Incidents
- The Sea Bird crew rescued the Donna Marie crew immediately after the collision; Capt. Bodin sustained cuts and bruises from shattered windows.
- They attempted to tow the damaged vessel, but her condition rapidly worsened, and she sank within twenty minutes in roughly 200 ft (61 m) of water.
Final Disposition
The wreck remains unpublished. With her depth and steel hull damage, she may still rest at the impact site, approximately 15 miles off Duluth, awaiting discovery.
Current Condition & Accessibility
None noted. The Donna Marie sank quickly and no floating debris or hazard marking was reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”donna-marie-us-237994″ title=”References & Links”]
The Donna Marie was a newly built wooden fishing tug that met a tragic fate within months of her launch—colliding fatally with the Sea Bird during a fogged, north-shore November operation on Lake Superior. Though no one was lost, the vessel sank swiftly after the impact. She remains undocumented on the lake bed, a stark reminder of the ever-present danger of poor visibility and proximity operations amid colder seasons.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Donna Marie
- Official Number: 237994
- Year Built: 1938
- Built At: Houghton Point, Wisconsin by Bodin & Mulke
- Type: Fishing tug with gasoline (wooden) construction
- Dimensions: Approx. 38 ft (11.6 m) length, 13 tons
- Final Location: Lake Superior, approximately 15 miles off Duluth, MN, in about 200 ft (~61 m) of water
- Date of Loss: 11 November 1938
- Casualties: None
Vessel Type
A compact wooden fishing tug, designed for herring operations, equipped for setting and retrieving nets on Lake Superior. Powered by a gasoline engine.
Description
Small and sturdy, the Donna Marie was outfitted with deck gear for net hauling. Exact structural details are sparse, but as a purpose-built fishing craft, she featured a simple yet effective layout for lake operations.
History
Commissioned in 1938, she entered service under the command of Capt. A. Bodin. On her final voyage, the crew was actively pulling nets when another fish tug, the Sea Bird, approached—likely on a routine companion visit to “compare catches,” a common practice. Unfortunately, glare of ice-coated windows on Sea Bird obscured the Donna Marie. Her crew quickly realized the hazard, sounded the whistle, but the warning went unheard over engine noise. Sea Bird struck the Donna Marie broadside at about 6 knots, nearly bisecting her (harveyhadland.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, mnhs.gitlab.io).
Final Disposition
- The Sea Bird crew rescued the Donna Marie crew immediately after the collision; Capt. Bodin sustained cuts and bruises from shattered windows .
- They attempted to tow the damaged vessel, but her condition rapidly worsened, and she sank within twenty minutes in roughly 200 ft (61 m) of water (harveyhadland.com).
Located By & Date Found
Not located; the wreck remains unpublished. With her depth and steel hull damage, she may still rest at the impact site, approximately 15 miles off Duluth, awaiting discovery.
Notams & Navigational Hazards
None noted. The Donna Marie sank quickly and no floating debris or hazard marking was reported.
Resources & Links
- Fish Tugs of the Great Lakes – “Donna Marie” entry, confirming construction, collision, and sinking details (harveyhadland.com).
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – ‘D’ index, summarizing the collision circumstances (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
- “Sea Bird” tug history, confirming her involvement in the accident via poor visibility due to ice (gltugs.wordpress.com).
Conclusion
The Donna Marie was a newly built wooden fishing tug that met a tragic fate within months of her launch—colliding fatally with the Sea Bird during a fogged, north-shore November operation on Lake Superior. Though no one was lost, the vessel sank swiftly after the impact. She remains undocumented on the lake bed, a stark reminder of the ever-present danger of poor visibility and proximity operations amid colder seasons.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Donna Marie, fishing tug, Lake Superior collision, Sea Bird, ice-glare accident, 1938 wreck, herring net tug, small craft collision, Duluth, winter navigation hazards