Old whitey lake superior

Image Source: National Park Service. The SS Kamloops has lain at the bottom of Lake Superior for nearly years but visiting divers claim they are not alone when visiting the shipwreck. The body of one of the deceased crew members, dubbed Old Whitey, floats amongst the wreckage of the ship with some divers claiming it follows them as they dive, old whitey lake superior. A video of some intrepid divers exploring the wreck of the SS Kamloops.

This zone was the 13th area to be protected in American waters but the first in the Great Lakes. As you might gather from a name such as Thunder Bay, the region is more like a rollicking sea than a placid lake. This slice of Lake Huron has claimed hundreds of ships in the past several centuries. Within the confines of the sanctuary, nearly historically significant shipwrecks dot the floor of the lake. Recently, the maps received a new entry, as underwater archaeologists working for the National Marine Sanctuary discovered the resting place of a vessel that had long eluded searchers.

Old whitey lake superior

Apparently the line from the Gordon Lightfoot song is true. Nope, it keeps them fully preserved. The cold waters of Lake Superior keeps its dead intact because it's too cold for bacteria to live in, and thus they never "bloat and float" as bodies in warmer climates would, as the gases that cause the bloat are the result of bacterial action. Living, or should I say non-living, proof of this scientific fact is evident aboard the shipwreck of the USS Kamloops , which wrecked in Lake Superior carrying farm equipment on the way to Canada back in a frigid winter storm in December of The wreck occurred off the coast of Isle Royale, Michigan's National Park, and while most of the crew's bodies were found because they froze trying to swim from the point of the wreck, or died later, having made it to shore on Isle Royale and succumbed to the harsh conditions more on that later , the captain of the Kamloops stayed at the helm and went down with his ship, and is still there today. The ship sits in feet of water, not too far from the Isle Royale shore. It has attracted the attention of only the most experienced divers, those who don't mind a cold, dark dive. And there they have been haunted to find one lone soul remaining on the ship. Whether it is the captain has never been determined, but he still sits in the ship, almost perfectly preserved. Divers say he sits alone, having turned a ghastly white color from the fats of his lifeless body leeching to the surface, forming a soapy wax over him. Only one photo exists of the body, and its taken from an angle, so you can't see his features, out of respect to the deceased. But the story doesn't end there. According to AstonishingLegends, One of the stewardesses aboard the Kamloops was Alice Bettridge, and her life boat made it to Isle Royale, where she wrote a message and placed it in a bottle, in hopes that someone on the Canadian shore might find it and rescue her from the harsh conditions.

Spotted at dusk, covered in ice, the vessel never made it to port.

The steamship Kamloops was built by Furness Shipbuilding Co. Lawrence River during the years prior to the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Kamloops completed its sea testing on 5 July , was shipped to Copenhagen , Denmark, to pick up freight, then was taken to Montreal and Houghton , Michigan , United States. Her chief duty was carrying manufactured goods from Montreal up the lakes to Thunder Bay , Ontario , Canada.

Apparently the line from the Gordon Lightfoot song is true. Nope, it keeps them fully preserved. The cold waters of Lake Superior keeps its dead intact because it's too cold for bacteria to live in, and thus they never "bloat and float" as bodies in warmer climates would, as the gases that cause the bloat are the result of bacterial action. Living, or should I say non-living, proof of this scientific fact is evident aboard the shipwreck of the USS Kamloops , which wrecked in Lake Superior carrying farm equipment on the way to Canada back in a frigid winter storm in December of The wreck occurred off the coast of Isle Royale, Michigan's National Park, and while most of the crew's bodies were found because they froze trying to swim from the point of the wreck, or died later, having made it to shore on Isle Royale and succumbed to the harsh conditions more on that later , the captain of the Kamloops stayed at the helm and went down with his ship, and is still there today. The ship sits in feet of water, not too far from the Isle Royale shore. It has attracted the attention of only the most experienced divers, those who don't mind a cold, dark dive. And there they have been haunted to find one lone soul remaining on the ship.

Old whitey lake superior

When you think of shipwrecks, you may not automatically think of lakes. But, Lake Superior has seen over 50 known notable wrecks so it should come as no surprise that it is full of local legend and lore. One of those legends is that of Old Whitey. Source Source Source Source. But to learn more about Old Whitey, we have to go back to the story of the wreck. The SS Kamloops was a lake freighter beginning in However, that came to a sudden end around December 6th. That night, a massive storm began to hammer Lake Superior. The Kamloops was last seen operationally on December 6th, covered in ice. After no response, a search for the Kamloops began on December 12th and lasted nearly two weeks.

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Cargo and personal effects are not the only things guarding the resting spot of Kamloops , however. The Banshee of the Badlands. Incredibly, within was a message. After documenting the scene, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is considering making the site a public dive. I just want mom and dad to know my fate. A search for Kamloops began on 12 December, concentrating on the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale; the search continued until 22 December. Shipwrecks of Isle Royale. Nope, it keeps them fully preserved. Kamloops ' s owners operated the ship as late into the season as possible: in it was one of the last vessels to pass through the Sault Ste. Tools Tools. Tzilacatzin: The Amazing Tlatelolca Warrior. The body of one of the deceased crew members, dubbed Old Whitey, floats amongst the wreckage of the ship with some divers claiming it follows them as they dive.

The steamship Kamloops was built by Furness Shipbuilding Co. Lawrence River during the years prior to the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Coordinate location is per "The Wrecks of Isle Royale". The freezing temperatures have turned his body white as snow causing him to be given the name Old Whitey or Grandpa by visiting divers. List of U. This zone was the 13th area to be protected in American waters but the first in the Great Lakes. Kamloops , heavily coated with ice, was last seen steaming towards the southeastern shore of Isle Royale at dusk on the following day, 6 December. Archived from the original on 14 July Very few divers are skilled enough to deal with the extreme conditions. Kamloops was dispatched up the lakes in late November , carrying a mixed cargo of tar paper , papermaking machinery, coiled wire for farm fencing, piping, shoes and foodstuffs. It has attracted the attention of only the most experienced divers, those who don't mind a cold, dark dive. A collective memorial stone was placed over their gravesite in The conditions there will allow shipwreck hunters the opportunity to witness this piece of history for many years to come. It is the custom of Great Lakes shipping to try to move as much freight as possible before winter and associated ice conditions bring boat movements to a halt. Eventually, another ship came to rescue the three.