Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: John B. Ketcham (2nd) / Neebing
- Type: Propeller / bulk freight / sandsucker freighter
- Year Built: 1892
- Builder: Craig Shipbuilding Co., Toledo, Ohio
- Dimensions: 193 ft × 40 ft × 15 ft (≈ 58.8 m × 12.2 m × 4.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 1,109 gross / 908 net
- Depth at Wreck Site: 30 m / 100 ft
- Location: ~800 yards off Eagle’s Nest Point, Nipigon Strait, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: ~ 48° 39.80′ N, 88° 07.80′ W
- Official Number: Canadian Official No. C130435 (U.S. No. 77057)
- Original Owners: Oscar P. Bills & Edmund B. Koch (initial), later Richardson Lumber Co., Reid Wrecking Co., George Hall Coal Co., Sin-Mac Lines Ltd.
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The John B. Ketcham (2nd), later known as Neebing, was a steel-hulled propeller freight steamer constructed for bulk cargo and towing operations on the Great Lakes. Originally equipped with a single screw, a Scotch marine boiler, and a compound steam engine, the vessel was ruggedly built with three bulkheads and a large open hold for transporting sand, gravel, and other aggregates.
Description
The wreck lies upright in approximately 100–125 feet of cold Lake Superior water. Owing to low oxygen and cold temperatures, the hull and superstructure remain well preserved. The site includes a largely intact Scotch boiler, engine room, hull framework, and derrick remnants.
History
Built in 1892 at Craig Shipbuilding in Toledo, Ohio, the vessel was originally U.S.-registered and worked in general cargo transport. She changed hands numerous times, and by 1913 was operating under Canadian registry. She was renamed multiple times: Greenland in 1922, Coalhurst in 1927, and Neebing by 1928. Her varied service included timber and aggregate hauling and contract towing across the upper lakes.
On 24 September 1937, while hauling gravel and towing the barge Coteau, the Neebing encountered a gale in Nipigon Strait. The storm caused structural stress and rapid water ingress. Witnesses reported that the vessel’s stack collapsed or exploded when submerged. She sank within minutes off Eagle’s Nest Point. Five crew members were lost; nine survived.
Significant Incidents
- 24 September 1937: The Neebing sank in a storm, resulting in five fatalities.
Final Disposition
The wreck was rediscovered by recreational divers in the 1970s. It is now a known local dive site documented by charters and diving guides. No formal archaeological survey date has been published.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck remains well-preserved due to the cold, low-oxygen environment of Lake Superior. Divers should confirm seasonal conditions and navigational advisories locally.
Resources & Links
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As a diver, remember to respect the site and its history. Leave only bubbles, take only memories, and consider removing only garbage to leave the site better than you found it.
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