BREAKING: A team of shipwreck hunters has uncovered the wreck of the Lac La Belle, a luxury steamer lost in Lake Michigan over 150 years ago. This discovery marks the culmination of a quest that began nearly 60 years ago, as announced by Shipwreck World on Friday.
Led by renowned wreck hunter Paul Ehorn, the team located the ship about 32 km offshore between Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin, in October 2022. Ehorn, who has dedicated his life to finding shipwrecks since he was just 15 years old, revealed that the announcement was delayed to include a detailed three-dimensional video model of the wreck. However, adverse weather conditions postponed the dive team’s return until last summer.
Ehorn expressed his excitement, stating, “It’s kind of a game, like solving a puzzle. Sometimes you don’t have many pieces to put the puzzle together but this one worked out and we found it right away.” This moment is especially poignant for Ehorn, who has pursued the Lac La Belle’s location since 1965, using a crucial clue from fellow shipwreck expert Ross Richardson in 2022 to narrow down the search.
The Lac La Belle was originally built in 1864 in Cleveland, Ohio. The steamship, measuring 66 meters, had a tragic history. It sank in the St. Clair River in 1866 after a collision, only to be raised and refurbished in 1869. On the fateful night of October 13, 1872, while en route from Milwaukee to Grand Haven, Michigan, the ship encountered a fierce gale. With 53 passengers and crew aboard, it began taking on water rapidly. The captain attempted to return to Milwaukee, but towering waves extinguished the ship’s boilers, forcing a desperate evacuation.
At approximately 5 AM, the captain ordered lifeboats lowered, but tragedy struck when one capsized, claiming the lives of 8 people. The remaining lifeboats managed to reach the shore between Racine and Kenosha.
According to Ehorn, the wreck is now encrusted with quagga mussels, but the hull remains largely intact, and the oak interiors are in remarkably good condition. The Great Lakes are home to an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 shipwrecks, many of which remain undiscovered. The urgency to locate these wrecks has intensified, with concerns that invasive quagga mussels are gradually deteriorating the underwater sites.
This discovery represents the 15th shipwreck located by Ehorn, who stated, “It was one more to put a check mark by. Now it’s on to the next one. It’s getting harder and harder. The easier ones have been found.”
As the search for shipwrecks continues, this find serves as a reminder of the rich maritime history of the Great Lakes and the ongoing efforts of dedicated individuals to preserve it. Stay tuned for updates on further discoveries and developments in maritime archaeology.
