5 Ships that Mysteriously Vanished on the Great Lakes

It’s often said that the Great Lakes of North America resemble inland seas. They are the largest group of lakes in the world by area and they contain 21% of the earth’s surface fresh water. They provide a vital link between rich natural resources and centers of industry, making them a key driver of economic growth in both the United States and Canada.

Their size, economic importance, and terrifying unpredictability have also made them some of the deadliest waterways in the world. From giant, state-of-the-art freighters, to modest cargo ships said to haunt the lakes to this day, here are the stories of 5 ships that vanished on the Great Lakes.

Sources:
Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes by Dwight Boyer
Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals by William Ratigan
Shipwrecks of the Lakes by Dana Thomas Bowen

Chapters:
00:00 Great Lakes Ghost Ships
00:56 Twins of Doom:
SS W. H. Gilcher
6:49 The Seaman’s Lament:
SS Clifton
13:07 The Phantom of Lake Erie:
SS Marquette & Bessemer No. 2
17:36 One Last Run:
SS D.M. Clemson
21:03 The Flying Dutchman
of Lake Superior:
SS Bannockburn

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[BigOldBoats]

Thank you for watching! What's your favorite Great Lakes mystery?

[NealBones]

Honey wake up! New Big Old Boats dropped!

[thejudgmentalcat]

I swam on Lake Superior in the mid-70's in July and was amazed how cold it was even though temps were in the mid-80's. I can't imagine what a winter storm would feel like. RIP to all victims of the Lakes ❤

[Outdoor_Carnivore]

I love the fact that you cover all ships of the world. It is great learning about the great ocean liners, but it is also refreshing to learn about the lake boats that most of the world knows nothing about.

[Maxharddrive]

My father was a merchant marine on the great lakes.He wasn't scared of much...but the lakes.. lets say he had A healthy respect.. He'd tell stories about Superior and how regularly in the mornings they'd wake to the bow being completely covered in ice....in AUGUST...

[trainz]

The Great Lakes are fascinating yet terrifying at the same time

[_C_FL]

My favorite vanished ship of the Great Lakes is the SS James C Carruthers. Less than a year old, it was lost in the great storm of 1913 and remains lost to this day. It’s story and the evidence that it potentially got lost and foundered is fascinating.

[MarianneKat]

As a lifelong Michigander, i always love the great lakes freighter stories. Highly recommend going to whitefish point and the shipwreck museum. Also Soo Locks!!

[dexchex]

As someone who grew up on the Great Lakes I love these videos, keep them coming.

[clarsach]

Actually I think my favourite Great Lakes ship mystery is that of the SS Edmund "mystery" being how a modern, well-built ship can sink on the lakes as late as recurring theme with all of these though seems to be the relentless pressure to squeeze just one more cargo trip across the Lakes in, before the ice this then coincides with November storms and tragedy.

[kimlersue]

I was raised on lake Michigan..and it is very dark water. I loved learning to swim off the little beach..playing in the sand and .watching the ferry boats. I fell asleep listening to the fog horns and boats talking to each other. As a child it all seemed to safe, warm and homey..and i had zero thought about ships going down. Then one family as lost in the lake. Everyone was out looking for them and happily they were found safe. I looked at the dark water, my play yard, with a new respect..and caution. REST IN PEACE ALL WHO GO DOWN IN SHIPS!

[nelliesfarm]

Storms on the great lakes can be quite unpredictable! In the early 80s, growing up, my mom, myself and step dad got caught up in a totally unexpected, horrific storm on lake Erie, in our 18 foot Chris craft boat. It was much like that scene at the beginning of Gilligan's Island...waves crashing over the boat, massive rocking back and forth, high winds blowing stinging rain onto you, etc it was terrifying...hours of this while my step dad ( who was very experienced ), desperately tried to keep us afloat... Steering up front. We had no cover on the boat, either. Next thing you know, it was morning and I woke up from sleeping on one of the seats...we survived the night !!! We were all waterlogged and thankful to be alive after that night of hell. I'm 53 years old, its been 40 years now, and I've not forgotten one moment of it.

[jjnich]

Good morning fellow boat nerds! Going to watch this one while I stare out at the shores of Lake Huron.

[JozefLucifugeKorzeniowski]

the lakes always innately freaked me out. I grew up on a coast, so seeing the lakes that are so vast they look like the ocean just feels unsettling.

[chuckzehnder]

Great job. When I was young, I used to dive shipwrecks in Lakes Superior and Michigan back in the 1960s and 70s. You have done a masterful job of research.

[BBBARKER]

The Lake, it is said, never give up their dead when the gales of November turn gloomy

[asteroidrules]

A big part of what makes the Great Lakes so dangerous is how unique they are. The overwhelming majority of freshwater bodies are far smaller, so most people with experience in large bodies of water got that experience on the open ocean. But the cold freshwater of the great lakes doesn't behave like saltwater in the open sea, and the relatively shallow depth causes situations like what became of the Clifton to happen where waves can cause ships to strike the lakebed. Their position in the middle of North America directly underneath the polar jet stream also means weather patterns are unlike what you find almost anywhere else on earth. The infamous November Gales can reach hurricane force winds, but winter storms build much more rapidly than tropical storms, meaning it's very easy to get caught out in them.

[jenniferlevine]

This is a lovely memorial to the lost men and their families. Well done!

[parsleypalace]

Haunting stories, well presented. My heart goes out to all those mariners who were lost. Thanks for remembering them through your video!

[GloriousSEAGRUB]

It’s interesting how many ships went missing on the great lakes.