Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pine Lake
- Type: Steambarge
- Year Built: 1895
- Builder: Pine Lake Lumber Company, Charlevoix, MI
- Dimensions: 137.3 ft (41.9 m); Beam 28.1 ft (8.6 m); Depth of hold 10.9 ft (3.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 388 gross; 274 net tons
- Location: Off Belle Isle, Detroit River
- Official Number: 150695
- Original Owners: Pine Lake Lumber Company; John Hickler; John M. McKerchey; E.P. Merritt
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled Great Lakes steambarge, originally designed for heavy lumber transport. Converted later in its career to a sand sucker. The vessel’s construction utilized the repurposed hull bottom of the Ida M. Torrent.
Description
Built with a length of 137.3 feet (41.9 m), a beam of 28.1 feet (8.6 m), and a depth of 10.9 feet (3.3 m). Tonnage was recorded at 388 gross and 274 net tons. She could carry 400,000 board feet of lumber. Powered by a 250 horsepower steeple compound engine (16 + 30 x 24″) turning a single screw propeller. Steam was provided by a 9′ x 121″ firebox boiler rated at 115 psi.
History
- 1895: Built and enrolled at Grand Haven, MI by the Pine Lake Lumber Company using salvaged hull material from the Ida M. Torrent.
- 1908: Sold to John Hickler, Buffalo, NY.
- 1909–1910: Owned by John M. McKerchey, Detroit, MI; converted into a sand sucker at the William Oades Shipyard, Detroit.
- 1912: Owned by E.P. Merritt, Detroit.
Significant Incidents
Collision and Sinking: On 21 October 1912, Pine Lake collided with the steamer Fleetwood in the Detroit River off Belle Isle, sinking in the navigational channel. The incident resulted in one fatality.
Final Disposition
Due to her obstructive position, the hulk was dynamited and destroyed shortly after the accident. Her official documents were surrendered in Detroit on 10 November 1912, listed as “vessel lost”.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no record of a modern rediscovery or archaeological survey of the Pine Lake wreckage site. The remains were reportedly demolished after the collision.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pine-lake-us-150695″ title=”References & Links”]
The Pine Lake is notable for her origin—constructed atop a salvaged hull—and her transition from lumber hauler to sand sucker, reflecting changing maritime industrial needs. Her catastrophic loss in the Detroit River and subsequent demolition mark her as a unique example of vessel obsolescence and maritime hazard mitigation in the early 20th century Great Lakes navigation history.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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