In July, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) announced that it had discovered a century-old shipwreck off the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior. The steamer, S.R. Kirby, sank near Eagle Harbor, Michigan, in May 1916. According to GLSHS, Kirby was a 294-foot-long wooden-hulled steamer that was built in 1890 in Wyandotte, Michigan. She now rests in 800 feet of water. Of the 22 crewmembers, only two were rescued.
“We found what appeared to be wreckage last year while searching in this area,” notes the Shipwreck Society’s Director of Marine Operations Darryl Ertel Jr. “We weren’t certain that it was a shipwreck, but were able to take a closer look this year. We thought it might have been the Kirby.” Ertel and his team used the Shipwreck Society’s ROV to positively identify the vessel as Kirby.
To read more about the shipwreck, visit shipwreckmuseum.com.
