Shipwrecks Discovered In Lake Michigan So Far This Year

The age of piracy and sailing has long captivated the public's attention, with people from different periods of history setting sail to find treasures and other long-lost relics. Pirates and treasure hunters, in many cases, became lost relics of their own when their ships were lost at sea, sank in a storm, or crashed.

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While there was piracy on the Great Lakes, and one notable pirate by the name of "Roaring Dan" Seavey, most shipwrecks in the Great Lakes came from storms or human error. Finding the remains of trading ships and others like them is a rare feat, but in the last few years, over thirty shipwrecks have been discovered in Lake Michigan.

Two notable discoveries have been made this year. While that pales in comparison to last year, finding a shipwreck is quite literally like finding a needle in a haystack. This makes this year's finds even more shocking since they were discovered by accident and by amateurs.

Local Discovers His Third Shipwreck: The Frank D. Barker

In August, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced that the remains of the Frank D. Barker were discovered off the coast of Door County in Wisconsin. According to a press release, the uniquely shaped ship sank in 1887 while on its way to Escanaba, MI, to collect a load of iron ore when the 137-foot vessel ran off course. Bad weather caused it to run into a limestone outcropping, stranding the crew on Spider Island. While the crew was saved, the ship hadn't been seen since.

That is, until earlier this year, when Matt Olson, owner of Door County Adventure Rafting, noticed something in the water when searching for areas to bring his customers. Only 24 feet beneath the surface, Olson saw the very intact remains of the wreck and reported it. You can view more photos here.

Fisherman Discovers The J.C. Ames

In May, Christopher Thuss discovered a tugboat called the J.C. Ames completely by accident while on a fishing trip. The day was a foggy one, and Thuss was using his radar when he noticed an anomaly nine feet under the lake's surface.

The even more remarkable aspect of this discovery is that Christopher Truss's step-grandmother, "Shipwreck Suzze" Johnson, was also an avid shipwreck finder who once located three wrecks in just three days. You can view more photos here.

Citizen Science Group Finds F.J. King

The Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association (WUAA) announced the discovery of the F.J. King schooner, a wreck that had been missing for 139 years. The wreck earned the title of a "ghost ship" due to its reputation and the difficulty in locating it despite its notoriety. It was discovered by a group of 20 citizen scientists and community historians.

The 144-foot three-masted wooden schooner sank off the Door Peninsula while on a journey to Chicago from Escanaba. A strong storm with waves 8 to 10 feet tall caused the ship to flood, forcing the crew to abandon ship. You can view more photos here.

If any more discoveries are made this year, this article will be updated.