Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Gunilda
- Type: Steel-hulled steam yacht
- Year Built: 1897
- Builder: Ramage & Ferguson, Leith, Scotland
- Dimensions: 195 × 24.7 × 14.2 ft (59.4 × 7.5 × 4.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 385 gt / 158 nt
- Depth at Wreck Site: 79 m / 260 ft
- Location: McGarvey Shoal, near Rossport, Ontario
- Coordinates: 48° 47.20′ N, 87° 25.21′ W
- Original Owners: William Harkness, Cleveland, Ohio
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Gunilda is classified as a steel-hulled steam yacht, designed for luxury and comfort on the water.
Description
The Gunilda was a steel-hulled steam yacht that embodied late Victorian luxury and technological refinement. Built in Scotland by Ramage & Ferguson, she featured lavish interiors, refined accommodations, and a triple-expansion steam engine for efficient and reliable cruising. Harkness intended her as a floating palace for touring the Great Lakes and beyond.
History
Commissioned in 1897, Gunilda was brought to the Great Lakes in 1910 for private pleasure use. On August 11, 1911, she struck a submerged rock pinnacle at McGarvey Shoal near Rossport, Ontario. Initial salvage attempts were poorly planned; during towing preparations the vessel capsized and slipped into 260 feet of water. She was uninsured, making her $200,000+ loss a direct financial blow to her owner.
Significant Incidents
The wreck’s allure has claimed multiple divers:
- 1975: A diver died while exploring the wreck, overwhelmed by depth and decompression requirements.
- 1989: A second diver perished under similar circumstances. Both incidents highlight the risks inherent in deep Great Lakes wreck diving.
- 2017– Scott Stitt perishes while exploring the wreck.
Final Disposition
Gunilda settled upright on the lakebed. The cold, deep waters of Lake Superior preserved her steel hull, leaving one of the most intact wrecks of her era. Luxurious fittings, portholes, and machinery remain in place, frozen in time.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is upright and remarkably preserved, with many original features intact. However, divers should be aware of the extreme depth and cold water conditions.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”gunilda” title=”References & Links”]
The Gunilda is widely regarded as the most beautiful shipwreck in the Great Lakes, combining opulent design with pristine preservation. She remains a time capsule of Edwardian luxury and steam yacht design, studied by maritime historians and technical divers alike.
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.
Lead Image
Identification Card (Site Style)
Type: Steel-hulled steam yacht
Builder: Ramage & Ferguson, Leith, Scotland
Designer: Cox & King
Year Built: 1897
Owner: William Harkness, Cleveland, Ohio
Dimensions: 195 × 24.7 × 14.2 ft (59.4 × 7.5 × 4.3 m)
Tonnage: 385 gt / 158 nt
Engine: Triple-expansion steam engine (15″, 24″, 39″)
Propulsion: Single screw
Location: McGarvey Shoal, near Rossport, Ontario, Lake Superior
Coordinates: 48° 47.20′ N, 87° 25.21′ W
Depth: ~260 ft (79 m)
Casualties: None at sinking; later diver fatalities (1975, 1989)
Description
The Gunilda was a steel-hulled steam yacht that embodied late Victorian luxury and technological refinement. Built in Scotland by Ramage & Ferguson, she featured lavish interiors, refined accommodations, and a triple-expansion steam engine for efficient and reliable cruising. Harkness intended her as a floating palace for touring the Great Lakes and beyond.
History
Commissioned in 1897, Gunilda was brought to the Great Lakes in 1910 for private pleasure use. On August 11, 1911, she struck a submerged rock pinnacle at McGarvey Shoal near Rossport, Ontario. Initial salvage attempts were poorly planned; during towing preparations the vessel capsized and slipped into 260 feet of water. She was uninsured, making her $200,000+ loss a direct financial blow to her owner.
Final Disposition
Gunilda settled upright on the lakebed. The cold, deep waters of Lake Superior preserved her steel hull, leaving one of the most intact wrecks of her era. Luxurious fittings, portholes, and machinery remain in place, frozen in time.
Dive Site Details
- Depth: 260 ft (79 m)
- Access: Charter required; located off Rossport, Ontario
- Conditions: Cold water, limited windows of visibility, strong potential for thermoclines
- Hazards: Depth, narcosis, decompression obligations
- Skill Level: Technical divers only
- Points of Interest: Upright steel hull, engine, luxury fittings preserved in situ
Tragedies & Diver Incidents
The wreck’s allure has claimed multiple divers:
- 1975: A diver died while exploring the wreck, overwhelmed by depth and decompression requirements.
- 1989: A second diver perished under similar circumstances. Both incidents highlight the risks inherent in deep Great Lakes wreck diving.
- 2017– Scott Stitt perishes while exploring the wreck
Significance
The Gunilda is widely regarded as the “most beautiful shipwreck in the Great Lakes,” combining opulent design with pristine preservation. She remains a time capsule of Edwardian luxury and steam yacht design, studied by maritime historians and technical divers alike.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- NFB – Drowning in Dreams
- Wikipedia – Gunilda
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
- Advanced Diver Magazine archives
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Type: Steel-hulled steam yacht
Built: 1897, Ramage & Ferguson, Leith, Scotland
Cause of Loss: Grounding & failed salvage, McGarvey Shoal
Coordinates: 48° 47.20′ N, 87° 25.21′ W
Depth: 260 ft (79 m)
Condition: Upright, remarkably preserved
Casualties: None at sinking; diver fatalities in 1975 & 1989
Hazards: Extreme depth, cold water, decompression risk
Discovery: Known since sinking, rediscovered by divers in 1967
Permits Required: Ontario Heritage Act applies
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