Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lydia
- Type: Fishing Tug
- Year Built: c. 1930s
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Approximately 54 ft (16.5 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Off Grand Marais harbor entrance, Michigan
- Original Owners: Louis Larson, Thomas Larson, Alex Manilla, John Tomkiel, Fred Hazen
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Small motorized fishing tug, single-screw, designed for operation in Lake Superior coastal waters
Description
- Powered tug built c. mid-1930s – lost 25 November 1932
History
- Home Port: Grand Marais, Michigan (also fished near Racine, Wisconsin area)
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: 25 November 1932
- Location: Just off the harbor entrance at Grand Marais, Michigan
- Cause of Loss: Violent gale struck the tug while attempting to reach shelter—Lydia capsized and sank in heavy seas
- Casualties: All five aboard were lost, including the vessel’s owner-operators Louis Larson, Thomas Larson, nephew Alex Manilla, John Tomkiel, and Fred Hazen
Final Disposition
- Vessel sank overnight during the storm; no wreck recovery or salvage is recorded
- Registry and records closed soon after, with the incident firmly entered in Great Lakes loss listings
Current Condition & Accessibility
- No known modern rediscovery or dive surveys exist for Lydia
- Wreck likely lies in deep nearshore waters just outside Grand Marais harbor; harsh November storms and deep conditions may have destroyed or dispersed remains
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lydia-c1930″ title=”References & Links”]
Lydia, a small power fishing tug based in Grand Marais, Michigan, sank on 25 November 1932 as she attempted to run out to sea during a violent gale. All five crew were lost. The wreck has never been located or surveyed, and only historical loss listings and local memory document her disappearance. Further archival searches—coast guard reports, newspaper archives, and community records—may shed more light on her design, crew, and final moments.
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Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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