![]() ![]() She did have a somewhat different appearance from most Lake vessels of the day, with her pilothouse set back and her stern cabins shifted forward, making her easily recognizable. She was considered a staunch, well-built vessel, better than most built on the Lakes, reportedly with steel superstructure. She frequently towed the barges Melrose and Selkirk and was the nearly identical sister of the Rosemount. The Bannockburn ran in the grain trade, mostly between Duluth/Port Arthur and Midland/Kingston, Ontario. She was a bit unusual for a Great Lakes vessel in that she was built overseas, but she was far from unique on the Lakes in the is regard, as many Canadian firms of that day had their vessels built in England. The Bannockburn was a 244 foot, single screw, steel bulk freight steamer built in 1893 at Middlesbrough, England by R. I do this not because I don’t value the work of earlier researchers, but because so many new sources of information have become available and I believe it is important to avoid preconceptions and bias when investigating an historic vessel loss. I went directly to the original 1902 reports and accounts BEFORE looking at any modern interpretations. In the case of the Bannockburn, as with most wrecks I research, I decided to start from scratch, consulting the primary source material directly, to see what I would come up with. When most people research a known wreck, they open a book or hit a database. ![]() As such, much of the info to be found in books isn’t particularly helpful in trying to determine the facts about her loss or her likely location. ![]() As such, a revisiting of the facts of the Bannockburn’s loss seems timely.īecause of the Bannockburn’s mystique as a ghost ship, she is nearly always sensationalized by authors, concentrating more on legend than fact. It is no longer a question of if, but when. They will all eventually be found, given the advent of autonomous underwater vehicles, magnetic anomaly data and improved sonar technology. Likewise, there is no longer any doubt whether these deep wrecks will be found. Why write up this wreck about which so much has already been written, which probably lies in 1000 feet of water and is 50 miles from land? It’s been decades since a critical, scientific look at the Bannockburn’s loss has been published and the information age has made it much easier to find info and collaborate. Her story has been written up by nearly every Great Lakes author and she is one of the best-known missing ships on the Great Lakes. This ship has achieved legendary status for having “sailed through a crack in the Lake” and “disappearing without a trace.” She is the subject of numerous ghost stories and has reputedly been sighted by modern freighters, still trying to reach her destination. The Lost Ship of the Month for February is the legendary flying dutchman of Lake Superior, the Bannockburn. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |