Collecting Imagery on the Florida

Date: June 20, 2007
Entry by: Tane Casserley, Maritime Archaeologist, Maritime Heritage Program (NMSP)

As part of the sanctuary's ongoing diving exploration in and around Thunder Bay, Russ
Green (TBNMS), Joe Hoyt (ECU), and Tane Casserley (NMSP-MHP) had the opportunity to conduct a reconnaissance dive on the intact wooden steamer Florida just north of the current TBNMS boundaries.

When the Florida was built in Buffalo, NY, in 1889 she was one of the largest ships on Lake Huron (271'x40'x15'). The Florida was lost on May 20, 1897 when she collided with the steamer George W. Roby in dense fog and sank in 12 minutes. The Roby survived and was able to rescue the Florida's crew.

The ship lies in 200 feet of water upright and intact, except for the stern which broke away cleanly exposing three of the ship's decks. Like the work earlier this month on the F.T. Barney, the information and images captured on this dive will provide baseline documentation for this excellent example the innovativeness of Great Lakes ship construction. I'll let the images speak for themselves.