SS Algoma 1885
Marker: recorded wreck position (Steam era).
Key facts
| Name | SS Algoma | Wikidata label |
|---|---|---|
| Year lost | 1885 | Wikidata P793 significant event, point-in-time qualifier |
| Era | Steam era | derived from year |
| Ship type | screw steamer | Wikidata P31 instance of |
| Nationality / flag | Canada | Wikidata P8047 country of registry |
| Nearest coast | United States | Natural Earth (public domain) |
| Position | 48.1114, -88.5319 | Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0) |
About the wreck
Algoma was a screw steamer built in 1883. She sank off Mott Island near Isle Royale in Lake Superior in 1885 and some of her remains are still on the lake bottom. The wreck was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Diving & visiting
On November 5, 1885, Algoma left Owen Sound for Thunder Bay, carrying general merchandise, railway supplies, and 37 passengers, the fewest it had ever carried. This was likely attributable to the lateness of the season and the recent opening of a rail route around Lake Superior. The ship passed into Lake Superior on November 6; when it was about halfway across the lake it ran into a blinding snowstorm. The sails were set to stabilize the ship, but it drifted off course. At about 4 am on the morning of November 7, the captain ordered the sails lowered and changed course.
The remaining wreckage is widely scattered in 15 to 100 feet (5 to 30 m) of water, and some portions of the stern are all that remain on the site. The wreckage near shore is primarily distributed in three fields, 100 feet apart. Various pieces of the ship's equipment, including pieces of a mast, pipes, valves, and davits are visible, as well as passenger artifacts. Much of the wreckage is in relatively shallow water, and lake action regularly rearranges the artifacts visible. A few pieces of wreckage have been located far offshore in deeper water; these may be from the missing bow section.
Location
- Recorded position: 48.1114, -88.5319 (Wikidata P625 coordinate location (CC0); may be approximate)
- Nearest coast: United States
Wreck positions on this site are for interest only and are not for navigation. Many wrecks are war graves or legally protected: never disturb human remains or remove artefacts, and check local law before diving.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article SS Algoma (revision 1372505552), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section and section(s) “Wreck of Algoma”, “The wreck today”; condensed by selecting paragraphs; citations and formatting removed. No text added. This excerpt is available under the same licence.
Wreck facts from Wikidata (CC0).
Nearby wrecks
- Chester A. Congdon 9 km
- SS Emperor 10 km
- SS Monarch 1906 · 11 km
- SS Kamloops 1927 · 18 km
- SS Glenlyon 1924 · 24 km
- SS America 1928 · 57 km
Browse more: North America wrecks · wrecks off United States · Steam era