Shotline Diving

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H.F. Bues US 95346

Explore the wreck of the H.F. Bues, a wooden tug that sank in Lake Erie during a storm, with all crew members surviving the incident.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: H.F. BUES
  • Type: Propeller tug (wooden)
  • Year Built: 1873
  • Builder: Wolf & Davidson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Dimensions: Approx. 47 ft × 13 ft × 8 ft (approx. 14.3 m × 4.0 m × 2.4 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 25 g / 16 n tons
  • Location: Middle Ground, Pelee Passage, Lake Erie (approximately 8 miles offshore)
  • Official Number: 95346

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The H.F. BUES was a wooden propeller tug designed for dredging operations, primarily working in shallow waters.

Description

The H.F. BUES was constructed in 1873 and served as a support vessel for dredging operations in the Great Lakes. It was built with a wooden hull and powered by a steam engine.

History

Throughout its service, the H.F. BUES played a crucial role in canal and dredging operations, particularly in the strategically important Pelee Passage.

Significant Incidents

On 27 July 1910, while towing a dredge, the H.F. BUES encountered a sudden cyclone and foundered on the Middle Ground shoals. Remarkably, all four crew members survived the incident.

Final Disposition

The tug sank in deep water, and no documented wreckage location or dive surveys have been recorded. There are currently no active Notices to Mariners or charted hazard markers at the site.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the H.F. BUES remains unlocated, and its condition is unknown. Accessibility for divers is not applicable as the wreck has not been found.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”h-f-bues-us-95346″ title=”References & Links”]

The loss of the H.F. BUES highlights the dangers posed by sudden storms to small wooden tugs during early 20th-century operations in the Great Lakes.

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

  • Vessel Name: H. F. BUES
  • Official Number: 95346
  • Year Built: 1873
  • Built At: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Wolf & Davidson
  • Vessel Type: Propeller tug (wooden)
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Final Disposition: Lost
  • Date of Loss: 27 July 1910
  • Location: Middle Ground, Pelee Passage, Lake Erie (approximately 8 miles offshore)
  • Cause: Storm / cyclone strike while towing a dredge
  • Loss of Life: None of four crew perished
  • Tow: One dredge (succeeded in reaching shore safely) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, marshcollection.org)

Vessel Specifications

  • Dimensions: Approx. 47 ft × 13 ft × 8 ft (approx. 14.3 m × 4.0 m × 2.4 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 25 g / 16 n tons
  • Propulsion: Single screw driven by a tug steam engine (details per shipyard records)

Incident Overview

On 27 July 1910, while towing a dredge through Pelee Passage, the H. F. BUES encountered a sudden cyclone. She foundered on the Middle Ground shoals. Despite going down in deep water, all four crew members survived, and the dredge was safely delivered to shore .

Historical Context & Significance

  • Role: Worked in canal and dredging operations in the strategically important but shallow waters of Pelee Passage.
  • Incident Significance: Highlights the dangers sudden summer storms posed to small wooden tugs and support vessels during early-20th century Great Lakes navigational and dredging work.

Wreck Status

  • The tug sank in deep water; no documented wreckage location or dive surveys have been recorded.
  • No active Notices to Mariners nor charted hazard markers remain at the site.

Sources & References

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “H. F. BUES” entry (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Wolf & Davidson shipyard construction records
  • Dredging station activity logs for Middle Ground, Pelee Passage

Keywords & Categories

  • Region: Lake Erie – Middle Ground, Pelee Passage
  • Vessel Type: Tug (dredge support vessel)
  • Cause of Loss: Storm / Foundering
  • Material: Wooden hull
  • Period: Late 19th – Early 20th century
  • Dive Accessibility: Not applicable / Not located

Summary

The H. F. BUES was a small wooden tug engaged in dredge support operations in Lake Erie. She sank after encountering a severe storm while towing a dredge near Middle Ground in Pelee Passage. Remarkably, her entire crew survived, and only the tug was lost.

h-f-bues-us-95346 1910-07-27 02:43:00