Shipwreck search yields surprise discovery
July 18, 2023During their search for two French warships that sank in Lake Superior over a century ago, Discovery Channel researchers were astonished to come across the wreckage of a missing tugboat that had gone down in 1879, many years before their intended targets.
The Satellite, a mere 15 years old at the time, embarked on a routine journey on June 21, 1879, from Detroit to Duluth in Minnesota, while towing four schooner barges. A letter written by the captain a few days later revealed that the tugboat sprung a leak and, despite the crew’s efforts to keep it afloat for about two hours, they eventually had to abandon ship, and it disappeared underneath the water’s surface.
The actual cause of the Satellite’s sinking remains a subject of debate, as some witnesses claimed the vessel experienced mechanical problems, while others suggested it collided with a log.
Host Josh Gates and a team of experienced researchers from Expedition Unknown were exploring Lake Superior in search of the Inkerman and the Cerisoles, two minesweepers constructed in Michigan for the French during World War One. Unfortunately, these ships vanished during a violent storm in 1918, taking their entire crews with them.
Expedition Unknown focuses on perplexing tales and unresolved mysteries, and since there have been no signs of the two French vessels since their sinking, they made for ideal subjects. However, the unexpected discovery of the Satellite will serve as a remarkable addition to the show. According to Gates, the images captured by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) sent down to investigate reveal the tugboat resting upright, resembling a ship in a bottle.
Photo credit: Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
