Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Swift
- Type: Steam tug or small freighter
- Year Built: 1893
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft; Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: Not available
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Though not explicitly identified in the brief record, the Swift was likely a steam tug or harbor vessel, common in the Great Lakes for industrial work, towing, and icebreaking. Built in 1893, she would have been a veteran of over four decades of service by the time of her destruction.
Description
On December 5, 1935, while laid up for the winter, the Swift caught fire at her mooring on Lake Michigan. No crew were aboard, and no injuries or fatalities were reported. The vessel burned to a total loss at dock.
No further documentation exists regarding efforts to extinguish the fire or salvage the remains. The cause of the fire remains undocumented, though such incidents were common in lay-up season due to coal embers, galley stoves, or sabotage.
History
Burned to the waterline at dock. Not a known dive site; likely scrapped or dismantled afterward. Exact city or yard location not recorded.
Significant Incidents
- December 5, 1935: Caught fire while laid up for winter, resulting in total loss.
Final Disposition
Burned to the waterline at dock. Not a known dive site; likely scrapped or dismantled afterward. Exact city or yard location not recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As the vessel was burned to a total loss, no remains are expected to be present at the site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”swift-1893″ title=”References & Links”]
The Swift serves as a reminder of the hazards faced by vessels during lay-up seasons, particularly in the context of fire safety.
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.
WRECK SUMMARY
- Type: Steam tug or small freighter (exact type unspecified)
- Length: Not specified
- Loss of Life: None
- Location: Lake Michigan – at dock (exact city not specified)
- GPS: Not available
- Depth: N/A (burned at dock)
IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION
- Vessel Name: Swift
- Type: Presumed steam tug or work vessel
- Built: 1893
- Flag/Registry: United States
- Date of Loss: December 5, 1935
- Final Resting Place: Burned to a total loss at dock on Lake Michigan
- Casualties: None
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION
Though not explicitly identified in the brief record, the Swift was likely a steam tug or harbor vessel, common in the Great Lakes for industrial work, towing, and icebreaking. Built in 1893, she would have been a veteran of over four decades of service by the time of her destruction.
HISTORY
On December 5, 1935, while laid up for the winter, the Swift caught fire at her mooring on Lake Michigan. No crew were aboard, and no injuries or fatalities were reported. The vessel burned to a total loss at dock.
No further documentation exists regarding efforts to extinguish the fire or salvage the remains. The cause of the fire remains undocumented, though such incidents were common in lay-up season due to coal embers, galley stoves, or sabotage.
FINAL DISPOSITION
Burned to the waterline at dock. Not a known dive site; likely scrapped or dismantled afterward. Exact city or yard location not recorded.
REFERENCES & LINKS
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
- Great Lakes Ships – Bowling Green State University
- GreatLakesShips.org