Today in Great Lakes History - November 28
On November 28, 1905, the Pittsburgh Steamship Company vessel Mataafa was wrecked as it tried to re-enter the Duluth Ship Canal in a severe storm. The Mataafa had departed Duluth earlier but had decided to return to safety. After dropping her barge in the lake, the vessel was picked up by waves, was slammed against the north pier and was swung around to rest just hundreds of feet offshore north of the north pier, where it broke in two. Much of the crew froze to death in the cold snap that followed the storm, as there was no quick way to get out to the broken vessel for rescue. The Mataafa was repaired prior to the 1906 season; she ultimately ended her career as an automobile carrier for the T.J. McCarthy Steamship Company and was sold for scrap in 1965.
The CANADIAN OLYMPIC's maiden voyage was 28 Nov 1976 to load coal at Conneaut, Ohio for Nanticoke, Ont. Her name honors the Olympic Games that were held at Montreal that year.
On November 28, 1983 while upbound after leaving the Poe Lock the INDIANA HARBOR was in a collision, caused by high winds, with the downbound Greek salty ANANGEL SPIRIT resulting in a 10 foot gash in the laker's port bow.
LANCASHIRE was launched November 28, 1942 she would be renamed b) SEWELL AVERY
The CATHY B. towed the GOVERNOR MILLER to Vigo, Spain on November 28, 1980 where she was broken up.
The BENSON FORD (2) was renamed e) US.265808 and departed River Rouge on November 28, 1986 towed by the Sandrin tugs TUSKER and GLENADA bound for Ramey's Bend in the Welland Canal.
FRONTENAC (4) arrived at the Fraser Shipyard, Superior, WI on November 28, 1979. Her keel, which had hogged four feet, was declared a constructive total loss.
The BRANSFORD stranded on a reef off Isle Royal in Lake Superior during a major storm on 28 Nov 1905 (the same storm that claimed the steamer MATAAFA). She was recovered.
On her third trip in 1892 the Ann Arbor #1 again ran aground, this time three miles north of Ahnapee (now called Algoma). There was $15,000 damage to her cargo.
In 1906 the Ann Arbor #4 left Cleveland bound for Frankfort on her maiden voyage.
The Ann Arbor #4 ran aground off Kewaunee in 1924.
On 28 November 1905, AMBOY (2-mast wooden schooner-barge, 209', 894 gt, formerly HELENA) was carrying coal in tow of the wooden propeller GEORGE SPENCER in a gale on Lake Superior. In an effort to save both vessels, AMBOY was cut loose. The SPENCER was disabled quickly and was driven ashore near Little Marais, MN. AMBOY struggled against the gale for a full day before finally going ashore near Thomasville, Ontario on 29 November. No lives were lost from either vessel.
On 28 November 1872, W. O. BROWN (wooden schooner, 140', 306 t, built in 1862 at Buffalo) was carrying wheat in a storm on Lake Superior when she was driven ashore near Point Maimanse, Ontario and pounded to pieces. Six lives were lost. Three survivors struggled through a terrible cold spell and finally made it to the Soo on Christmas Day.
On 28 Nov 1874, the propeller JOHN PRIDGEON JR. was launched at Clark's shipyard in Detroit, Michigan. She was built for Capt. John Pridgeon. Her dimensions were 235' x 36' x 17'. The engines of the B. F. WADE were installed in her.
On 28 Nov 1923, the Detroit & Windsor Ferry Company and Bob-Lo docks were destroyed by a fire cause by an overheated stove in the ferry dock waiting room. The blaze started at 3:00 AM.
CANADIAN TRANSFER underwent repairs most of Tuesday, 28 Nov 2000 at the Algoma Steel dock at Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. She had run aground the previous night in the Canadian channel approaching Algoma Steel. Canadian Transfer was freed by two Purvis Marine tugs. The vessel suffered a crack or hole in the hull plating about 10 feet from the bottom along its port side.
Data from: Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series
This is a small sample, the books includes many other vessels with a much more detailed history
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