Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Grampa Woo
- Type: Steel-hulled propeller excursion/tug vessel
- Year Built: 1980
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Approx. 110 ft (33.5 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Grounded off Passage Island, Lake Superior, near Isle Royale
- Official Number: US 8220
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A steel excursion or small workboat, likely serving tourism or passenger operations, retrofitted in the 1990s as “Grampa Woo III” indicates initial cruise capability.
Description
- Construction: Steel hull
- Length: Approx. 110 ft (33.5 m)
- Propulsion: Single screw (propeller) arrangement before losing propulsion during incident.
History
Commissioned in 1980, Grampa Woo served as an excursion/tour vessel on Lake Superior. Known later vessels in the series, including Grampa Woo III, indicate continued popularity.
Significant Incidents
- On October 30, 1996, during a severe storm, the vessel broke free from its moorings at Grand Portage, MN.
- The propeller was lost, disabling maneuverability.
- She drifted toward Passage Island near Isle Royale with two crew aboard.
- A freighter, the Walter J. McCarthy, snapped a tow line in gale-force winds.
- A local tugboat—likely the Glenada—executed a successful rescue, towing the vessel to safety with no injuries.
- Rescue is recounted in Joan Skelton’s Rescue From Grampa Woo and reported in the Wreck & Rescue magazine.
Final Disposition
The vessel grounded off Passage Island. Records do not clarify whether it was refloated or scrapped, but she did not remain in the water long term. She resurfaced in operator naming conventions as Grampa Woo III, indicating replacement.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not applicable—no submerged wreck. The final resting position is the grounding site near Passage Island.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”grampa-woo-us-8220″ title=”References & Links”]
The Grampa Woo was a modern steel excursion vessel lost during a Halloween-season storm on Lake Superior when it drifted from moorings, lost propulsion, and grounded off Passage Island on October 30, 1996. Both crew were rescued without injury, thanks to heroic towing and tug operations. Though never fully charted as a wreck, the incident remains a notable storm-escape story, commemorated in maritime safety literature and local lore.
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.
Escape from Grampa Woo – dramatic rescue, Oct 30 1996 (Devil’s Night)
GRAMPA WOO (1980)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name(s): Grampa Woo
- Year Built: 1980
- Official Number: US 8220 (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Type: Steel‑hulled propeller excursion/tug vessel, approx. 110 ft (33.5 m) length (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date of Loss: October 30, 1996
- Location: Grounded off Passage Island, Lake Superior, near Isle Royale; slipped moorings in Grand Portage, MN (newspapers.com, isleroyaleforums.com)
- Casualties: None; captain and first mate rescued
- Weather: Hurricane‑force winds and 20‑ft (6 m) seas during a severe storm (“Devil’s Night”) (thetrunk.org)
Vessel Type
A steel excursion or small workboat, likely serving tourism or passenger operations, retrofitted in the 1990s as “Grampa Woo III” indicates initial cruise capability (boatnation.com).
Description
- Construction: Steel hull
- Length: Approx. 110 ft (33.5 m)
- Propulsion: Single screw (propeller) arrangement before losing propulsion during incident (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
History
Commissioned in 1980, Grampa Woo served as an excursion/tour vessel on Lake Superior. Known later vessels in the series, including Grampa Woo III, indicate continued popularity (amazon.com).
Incident Summary
- On October 30, 1996, during a severe storm, the vessel broke free from its moorings at Grand Portage, MN.
- The propeller was lost, disabling maneuverability.
- She drifted toward Passage Island near Isle Royale with two crew aboard (thetrunk.org, newspapers.com).
- A freighter, the Walter J. McCarthy, snapped a tow line in gale-force winds (thetrunk.org).
- A local tugboat—likely the Glenada—executed a successful rescue, towing the vessel to safety with no injuries (russelbrothers.com).
- Rescue is recounted in Joan Skelton’s Rescue From Grampa Woo and reported in the Wreck & Rescue magazine (everand.com).
Final Disposition
The vessel grounded off Passage Island. Records do not clarify whether it was refloated or scrapped, but she did not remain in the water long term. She resurfaced in operator naming conventions as Grampa Woo III, indicating replacement (boatnation.com).
Located By & Date Found
Not applicable—no submerged wreck. The final resting position is the grounding site near Passage Island.
Notices & Advisories
None noted in current NAVWARN or NOTMAR; the vessel posed no long-term navigational hazard and is not charted .
Conclusion
The Grampa Woo was a modern steel excursion vessel lost during a Halloween‑season storm on Lake Superior when it drifted from moorings, lost propulsion, and grounded off Passage Island on October 30, 1996. Both crew were rescued without injury, thanks to heroic towing and tug operations. Though never fully charted as a wreck, the incident remains a notable storm-escape story, commemorated in maritime safety literature and local lore.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files account (newspapers.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Isle Royale Forums: rescue thread (isleroyaleforums.com)
- Detroit Free Press (Detroit Free Press) archive (newspapers.com)
- Joan Skelton, Rescue From Grampa Woo (Wreck & Rescue) (everand.com)