Shipwrecks of the Lakes

by Dana Thomas Bowen

Tales of shipwrecks have a definite fascination and a universal appeal. They are not only exciting and thrilling but usually contain some element of mystery. They recount the struggle of man to survive, pitting himself, or in several instances-herself, and the ship against the elements of destruction, calling forth his utmost skill, his strength, and his ingenuity, often with his very life as the high stake. Some emerge heroes; others are never heard from again.In this book are told only a selected number of the outstanding number of the shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. To attempt to put into a single book all the shipwrecks occurring on the Great Lakes would be sheer folly. Here are true tales of dozens of thrilling shipwrecks told in an interesting manner - complete with dozens of photographs. Heroic rescues from Duluth to the St. Lawrence make fascinating reading. Shipwrecks are recounted, covering a period of over one hundred years, from the old wooden immigrant steamers and the lofty-masted sailing vessels, up to the present ships of today.Much lake lore is woven into the tales of the wrecks, but nothing has been retold from Mr. Bowen's other books, Lore of the Lakes and Memories of the Lakes.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to watch the Duluth Harbor Cams with the 1000 foot freighters coming in through the canal and into the harbor. Hearing the big ships toot one long and two short and the aerial bridge answer is a real thrill. When my neighbor offered me his book to read about shipping on the Great Lakes, I was intrigued. Little schooners and then steamships plied the waters. The boats were made of wood. Later, the boats started being made of steel. As time went by, the boats became more sophisticated and safer. Bowen's narrative goes up through 1952 when he talks about radar, a new innovation that would help rescue ships find those boats in trouble. The timeline in the book has shipwrecks through 1972. Early wrecks lost all hands and any passengers, but as time went by there was a significantly less loss of life. So impressive are the descriptions of the 20-foot waves, the intense winds, the freezing temperatures, the suddenness of the storms. Seemingly sound ships were suddenly leaking water. All kinds of causes of sinking occurred from collisions to fires and running aground to cargo shifting in the hold. I thought I would read about one or two of the wrecks, but I stayed the course and read about them all...especially interesting were those ships that were lost while tied up at the docks.
All aboard! You can save yourself if you don't read at night during the months of November through February, as that seems to be the most dangerous times to be out on the lakes.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a nice read for great lakes enthusiasts. it was pretty dry, with little over-arching storytelling. but the history was important.