AH-WR-0858

Isabella J. Boyce

Sandsucker · United States · Lost 1917 · The Lake Erie Islands

A converted sand-dredging steamer that grounded and burned off Middle Bass Island in 1917, now a shallow scattered dive site.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Launched in 1889 as a wooden bulk freighter, the vessel was later rebuilt as a sandsucker for the Lake Erie sand trade. On June 6, 1917, she grounded on East Point Reef off Middle Bass Island and caught fire, becoming a total loss with no lives lost. Her scattered, charred remains now lie in very shallow water.

Vessel

Built: 1889
Registry: US registry no. 100446
Builder: Burger & Burger
Yard: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Material: Wood
Length: 138 ft
Beam: 29 ft
Tonnage: 368
Propulsion: Steam, fore and aft compound engine, single screw
Owners: Interlake Sand and Gravel Company

Loss

Date: June 6, 1917
Cause: Grounding
Location: East Point Reef, Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie
Water: Lake Erie
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 0
Master: William McFadden

The Wreck Today

Depth: 4-10
Condition: Charred, broken remains scattered widely in shallow water on a rock bottom.
Orientation: Scattered, bow to the north
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established