Tampa – Lake Huron Freighter Shipwreck (1923)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: TAMPA
• Type: wooden-hulled bulk freighter
• Year Built: 1890
• Builder: West Bay City, Michigan
• Dimensions: 291.6 ft (88.9 m) X 41 ft (12.5 m); Depth: 19.8 ft (6.0 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 1,972
• Depth at Wreck Site: 6 m / 19.8 ft
• Location: Belle River, St. Clair, MI
• Official Number: 145555
• Number of Masts: 3

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Large wooden-hulled bulk freighter outfitted with steel reinforcements and a triple-expansion steam engine — typical of late 19th-century lake freighters designed for heavy cargoes like iron ore and coal.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood with steel arches, diagonal straps, steel boiler house, and steel pumps
• Decks: 2
• Masts: 3
• Length: 291.6 ft (88.9 m)
• Beam: 41 ft (12.5 m)
• Depth: 19.8 ft (6.0 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 1,972
• Net Tonnage: 1,632
• Cargo Capacity: ~3,200 tons

History

• 1890, Aug 19: Maiden voyage to Lake Superior.
• 1891: Towed ASHLAND; sustained collision damage in Duluth harbour with whaleback BARTLETT.
• 1892, Nov: Suffered rudder damage; towed to Keweenaw Bay.
• 1896, Nov 12: Mainmast damaged by barge H.A. HAWGOOD.
• 1898: Towed PAISLEY and AMAZONAS; later grounded at Beaver Bay near ARTHUR ORR.
• 1898, Dec 16: Released and rebuilt by James Davidson, Bay City, MI.
• 1911, Jul 18: Sunk in the Detroit River after a collision with freighter JOHN W. GATES near the Walker Distillery at Walkerville, Ontario.
• 1914: Raised and towed to Marine City, MI; dismantled.
• 1923: Sunk at Belle River (Lake Huron) to serve as a breakwater.

Significant Incidents

• 1891: Collision with BARTLETT in Duluth harbour.
• 1892: Rudder damage requiring tow to Keweenaw Bay.
• 1896: Mainmast damage from H.A. HAWGOOD.
• 1911: Sunk after collision with JOHN W. GATES.

Final Disposition

The TAMPA concluded its operational life in 1923 when it was deliberately sunk as a breakwater at Belle River, Ontario, in the St. Clair region of Lake Huron. Prior to that, she was dismantled in Marine City after raising in 1914.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not applicable. The vessel was scuttled intentionally and is not a “wreck” in the traditional sense.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”tampa-us-145555″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The TAMPA exemplified the transition era in Great Lakes shipping where wooden hulls were heavily reinforced for greater loads and powered by robust triple-expansion steam engines. Her long service life, multiple incidents, and final role as a breakwater highlight the adaptive reuse of early lake freighters. Though she met her end in a controlled scuttling, her story contributes to the narrative of industrial evolution on the Great Lakes.