The Gunilda

She was a Yacht and the Flagship of the American Yacht Club and was built by the Scottish shipyard Ramage & Ferguson in Leith and launched in 1897. She was rigged like a schooner, but also had a steam engine on board. Her owner William Harkness was on his way to the Northern Fishing Grounds of Lake Nipigon in 1911 with guests and family.

Stranded on Copper Island near Rossport, Ontario (Lake Superior) Aug. 29, 1911

Believing himself to be familiar with this part of the Great Lakes, he did not use a pilot, even though this captain advised him to do so. The ship collided with the McGarvey Shoal, a near-vertical rock that rises from 280 ft (85.3 m) below the surface to 3 ft (0.9 m) below. No one was injured in the accident. Harkness went ashore in a dinghy and hired the James Whelan, the strongest tug in the area, to pull the Gunilda from the shoal.

She pulled the Gunilda off the rock. But as she pulled her free, Gunilda heeled to starboard and the masts hit the water’s surface. Within minutes, the ship filled with water and sank. The family, friends and crew were brought to safety by the tug.

Today she lies on her keel in a depth of 80m and is one of the best preserved wrecks in the world.

All diving pictures were made by Becky Kagan Schott 2017

Hey if u like the ocean look at this its rly cool I think

Wow. That is a work of love as well as art and science. Take a virtual dive.