On the morning of May 11, 1881, Captain John Higgins and eight crew members quickly jumped into the lifeboat and saw with their own eyes how their ketch “Trinidad” sank in Lake Michigan. Michigan) at the bottom of an icy lake; 142 years later, the ruins of “Trinidad” reappeared to the world.
Shipwreck hunters Brendan Bilode and Robert Jakes discovered the intact wreck of the Trinidad at a depth of 300 feet about 10 miles off the shoreline of Algoma, Wisconsin, in July. Concluding a two-year search for the ship, Bellold stated that Trinidad was there. When it made its final journey it was almost a “floating coffin”.
“Trinidad” was built in 1867 at Grand Island, New York. It was used as a cargo ship, engaging in the lucrative grain trade between Milwaukee, Chicago, and Oswego.
As president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association (WUAA), Belhold has written over 400 books documenting Wisconsin shipwrecks and wrecks.new York TimesThe interviewer said, “A lot of these schooners were built for one purpose: to make a lot of money.”
A newspaper article at the time described the 140-foot-long Trinidad as “one of the finest schooners ever built.” But there was a flaw in the ship.InsuranceRecords show that Trinidad’s owner failed to properly maintain the ship.
Bellaud points out that in that era, most schooners lasted two to three times longer than those of Trinidad.
Trinidad is plagued by water leakage. In the late 1880s, Captain Higgins wasmichiganAnchored at Port Huron, he believed the ship would not be able to withstand the November winds of the Great Lakes.
Higgins waited until spring to resume this ill-fated journey. On the morning of the sinking, the ship began filling with water and the pumps failed. Higgins and the crew decide to abandon ship.
Bellaud and Jack began exploring Trinidad two years ago. Bellaud said: “We were surprised to see that the deckhouse was still on the ship, and all the cabinets were still on the ship, all the utensils were still there, and all the crew’s property.”
The Trinidad isn’t the only boat in good condition in Wisconsin waters, but Bellold is confident she’ll be in the top three.
They hope to have the Trinidad listed on the National Register of Historic Places next year and plan to reveal the exact location of the wreck.
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