AH-WR-0031

SS Emperor

Bulk Carrier · Canada · Lost 1947 · Isle Royale & Lake Superior

A 525-foot steel ore carrier that struck Canoe Rocks and sank in half an hour, taking twelve of her crew down with her.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents.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

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Emperor was a large steel bulk carrier built in 1910 for the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes, operated for most of her career by Canada Steamship Lines. On June 4, 1947, loaded with iron ore out of Port Arthur, she struck Canoe Rocks off Isle Royale and sank within about thirty minutes. Twelve of her crew were lost; survivors were picked up by the steamer Ojibway. Her large, largely intact wreck is one of the most-visited technical dive sites at Isle Royale.

Vessel

Built: 1910
Registry: Canadian registry no. 126547
Builder: Collingwood Shipbuilding Company
Yard: Collingwood, Ontario
Material: Steel
Length: 525 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: 10000
Propulsion: Triple expansion steam engine, single screw
Owners: Canada Steamship Lines

Loss

Date: June 4, 1947
Cause: Grounding
Location: Canoe Rocks, Isle Royale, Michigan
Water: Lake Superior
Voyage: Port Arthur, Ontario
Cargo: Iron ore
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 12
Master: Eldon Walkinshaw

The Wreck Today

Depth: 25-170
Condition: Largely intact, resting on a steep slope with the mast visible near the surface historically
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Within Isle Royale National Park