Wild storms are common on the Great Lakes; one such storm sent the steamer New York plummeting to her final resting place 240 feet below the surface of Lake Huron over a century ago. Discovered in May 2012 and explored by a dive team for the first time in July of the same year, the wreck is an amazing find, partly because at 283 feet in length it was the world’s largest wooden steamer when it was built in 1879, just a short time before iron and steel became the preferred materials for ship construction. Let’s take a look at the Steamer New York – a wreck that’s certain to become a fantastic site for tech divers.
Upright and Intact
Upright and intact – a status that gives wreck divers cause to rejoice. That’s what the exploratory dive team first noticed as the ship’s shape emerged from the mysterious blue background that characterizes deep sites throughout the Great Lakes. New details emerged as the team made about thirty dives on the wreck from July through September, taking measurements and cataloguing artifacts they discovered along the way. So far, all artifacts have been left with the ship for future visitors to enjoy.
The story of the New York’s demise is, not surprisingly, as compelling as the wreck itself is. In October of 1910, the ship was carrying a load of coal from Detroit to Ontario. A storm with high waves and gale-force winds arose, and despite attempts to maneuver, the ship began to take on water. Soon, the fires in the boiler went out. The captain gave the order to abandon ship just before the Mataafa, which was another steamer that was towing a third boat passed the New York while heading in the opposite direction and turned to help. The Mataafa arrived just in time to pluck the New York’s captain and her 13 crew members from the lifeboats, which more than likely would have capsized in the storm. The Mataafa herself nearly capsized when her load of iron ore shifted during the rescue.
The initial search for the remains of the steamer New York went on for years before David Trotter and eight members of his Undersea Research Associates team discovered it while searching for it and other wrecks using sidescan sonar. Trotter told reporters they were “cautiously optimistic” about the possibility that the large wreck they spotted with sonar might be the New York; they were not able to confirm the ship’s identity until months later when conditions were right for making an initial dive on the wreck. When divers spotted the massive twin boilers looming before them, they knew they had found the ship they were looking for – one Trotter says is among the top wrecks he and his team have discovered. In all, they have located over 90 wrecks, many of which are popular with Great Lakes divers.
The wreck of the New York is located about 25 miles south of Alpena and northwest of Harrisville. It is in good condition thanks to the preservative effect the icy waters of Lake Huron have had on its wooden structure. So far, few divers have made the journey to the New York; with time, the wreck is certain to make its way onto bucket lists and into dive logs. For now, you can watch an informative film about the New York, courtesy of Undersea Research Associates.