Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Herring King (originally Fish Hawk)
- Type: Wooden gas screw tug / fish tug
- Year Built: Before 1909 (reconstructed winter 1909–1910)
- Builder: Likely Bayfield or La Pointe, Wisconsin (exact yard unknown)
- Dimensions: Approx. 50–60 ft (after lengthening)
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: Sand Island, Apostle Islands, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: N 44° 47.619′, W 087° 14.275′
- Official Number: [Not recorded]
- Original Owners: Boutin Fish Company, Bayfield, WI
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type
The Herring King was a wooden gas screw tug, originally launched as the Fish Hawk. It served primarily in the fishing industry, transporting fish and supplies between the Apostle Islands and the mainland.
Description
Description
The Herring King was a locally built Apostle Islands wooden fish tug, originally launched as the Fish Hawk. In the winter of 1909–1910, the vessel was cut in half, lengthened, and re-engined with a gasoline motor from the Superior. She was then renamed Herring King and placed into service by the Boutin Fish Company of Bayfield. Like other Apostle Islands fish tugs, she was used as a multipurpose working boat, carrying fish, lumber, supplies, mail, and groceries between island fish camps and the mainland.
History
History
By 1911, the Herring King had already experienced sinking in Chequamegon Bay due to leaks, but she was raised and returned to service. Through the 1910s, she was a familiar sight carrying fish from the Moe Fishery on Sand Island to Bayfield packing houses. The tug also provided essential freight and passenger service to isolated fishing communities on the Apostle Islands.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- 1911: Experienced sinking in Chequamegon Bay due to leaks, raised and returned to service.
- 29 November 1917: Caught fire due to a backfiring gasoline engine, leading to her sinking.
- 1 fatality: Captain Gordon drowned during the incident.
Final Disposition
Final Disposition
The wreck was later towed to Sand Island’s East Bay for potential salvage. Some timbers and engine parts were removed. Remaining hull structure was abandoned nearshore. For many years, the vessel’s burned hull was repurposed as a makeshift cabin by local residents, inverted as a roof with walls built beneath it. Today, little survives at the shoreline site; fragments remain buried in sand and vegetation.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current Condition & Accessibility
Access is available from the shoreline site at Sand Island East Bay. The entry point is the NPS Sand Island East Bay dock. Conditions are shallow water with minimal wreckage remains. The depth range is nearshore, and permits are required for excavation as per National Park Service regulations.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”herring-king-fish-hawk” title=”References & Links”]
Closing Summary
The Herring King serves as a reminder of the maritime history of the Apostle Islands. While little remains of the vessel today, its story continues to be a part of the local heritage.
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