Recently, divers from Cleveland Underwater Explorers, Inc. discovered the wreck of the brigantine Sultan, which sank in September 1864 in Lake Erie in 45 feet of water. The ship is in quite good shape.
Beyond the discovery itself being interesting, I can’t help but be amused by the reporting. The brigantine is described by the writer as a “double-masted, solid wood structure, … a favorite among both pirates and other hearty seafaring folk.” If the ship had been a “solid wood structure,” the loading of cargo would have been very difficult but it would have been much harder to sink. Most “seafaring folk” are reasonably “hearty,” I suppose, even if the Great Lakes is not well known for pirates. Roaring Dan Seavey is the only Great Lakes pirate that I am familiar with, but he came along after the Sultan sank. Nevertheless, the reporter does deserve points for effort. Thanks to Phil Leon for passing the article along.
There’s a reason it’s called Lake Erie! Erie weather and waves… In a gale I’d rather be on the open ocean, for sure.
I agree. Lake Erie can be brutal. I have sailed on Lake Huron which is almost as shallow. The waves get really steep and nasty. Deep water and sea room is much, much better.