Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Sir Luke
- Type: Tug
- Year Built: 1892
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Superior
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Small wooden river tug – steam-powered
Description
Description of Incident
- Time of loss: Around 24:00 (midnight) during a summer storm
- Situation: Caught in severe weather on the big lake, unable to navigate conditions
- Outcome: Lost to the storm; no explicit location given in records, though implied near its lake route
History
History & Career
- Service: Likely operated as a river tug and small-lake switch boat, built for harbors or near-shore tasks
- Ownership & Command: Not documented in current sources
Significant Incidents
Crew & Casualties
- Loss of life: None reported in shipwreck summary
- Crew: No names currently found
Final Disposition
Data Gaps & Recommended Research
- Exact Loss Date & Location: “Early July 1901″—needs precision. Storm logs from GL Shipwreck Files indicate timing, but not coordinates.
- Vessel Details: Dimensions, official number, engine specs, ownership or home port are unknown.
- Crew, Operational Route & Client Service: No crew manifest or incident report located. Service range (harbour, river, or lake) undefined.
- Documentation Sources to Explore Next:
- Local newspapers (June–July 1901) near likely operating hubs: search Superior, Duluth, Thunder Bay, and adjacent harbor press. ChroniclingAmerica, newspapers.com, and Library archives could hold articles with more detail.
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (HCGL): request original entry for Sir Luke to check for missing metadata.
- Enrollment & Registration Logs in HCGL to identify build specs and official numbers.
- Harbor Records from port authorities (e.g., Duluth, Superior—if river tug was based there) for storm incident logs.
- Marine insurance records for policy claims or rebuild attempts post-storm.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Preliminary Conclusions
- Sir Luke was a small steam tug built in 1892.
- She succumbed to a summer storm on Lake Superior in early July 1901 and sank, but her crew survived.
- Documentation beyond this summary is sparse; tools and records listed above may fill in vital info to complete her profile.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”sir-luke-1892″ title=”References & Links”]
Next Research Steps
| Source | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Newspapers (Jun–Jul 1901) | Exact loss date, location, vessel details, eyewitness or harbor logs |
| HCGL Enrollment Files | Official number, dimensions, engine type, ownership |
| Insurance Records | Incident reports, salvage documentation, rebuilds |
| Harbor Authority Logs | Storm logs, rescue operations, salvage citations |
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.
(Tug, 1892–1901)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Type: Small wooden river tug – steam-powered
- Built: 1892
- Lost: Early July 1901, during a summer storm on Lake Superior (logged by GL Shipwreck Files as “caught in storm”) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Description of Incident
- Time of loss: Around 24:00 (midnight) during a summer storm
- Situation: Caught in severe weather on the big lake, unable to navigate conditions
- Outcome: Lost to the storm; no explicit location given in records, though implied near its lake route (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Crew & Casualties
- Loss of life: None reported in shipwreck summary (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Crew: No names currently found
History & Career
- Service: Likely operated as a river tug and small-lake switch boat, built for harbors or near-shore tasks
- Ownership & Command: Not documented in current sources
Data Gaps & Recommended Research
- Exact Loss Date & Location
- “Early July 1901″—needs precision.
- Storm logs from GL Shipwreck Files indicate timing, but not coordinates.
- Vessel Details
- Dimensions, official number, engine specs, ownership or home port are unknown.
- Crew, Operational Route & Client Service
- No crew manifest or incident report located.
- Service range (harbour, river, or lake) undefined.
- Documentation Sources to Explore Next
- Local newspapers (June–July 1901) near likely operating hubs: search Superior, Duluth, Thunder Bay, and adjacent harbor press. ChroniclingAmerica, newspapers.com, and Library archives could hold articles with more detail.
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (HCGL): request original entry for Sir Luke to check for missing metadata.
- Enrollment & Registration Logs in HCGL to identify build specs and official numbers.
- Harbor Records from port authorities (e.g., Duluth, Superior—if river tug was based there) for storm incident logs.
- Marine insurance records for policy claims or rebuild attempts post‑storm.
Preliminary Conclusions
- Sir Luke was a small steam tug built in 1892.
- She succumbed to a summer storm on Lake Superior in early July 1901 and sank, but her crew survived.
- Documentation beyond this summary is sparse; tools and records listed above may fill in vital info to complete her profile.
Next Research Steps
| Source | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Newspapers (Jun–Jul 1901) | Exact loss date, location, vessel details, eyewitness or harbor logs |
| HCGL Enrollment Files | Official number, dimensions, engine type, ownership |
| Insurance Records | Incident reports, salvage documentation, rebuilds |
| Harbor Authority Logs | Storm logs, rescue operations, salvage citations |