MADISON, Wis. — Searchers have recently discovered the wreck of the luxury steamer Lac La Belle, which sank in Lake Michigan during a fierce gale in the late 1800s. This find wraps up a quest that began nearly 60 years ago.
Paul Ehorn, an Illinois shipwreck hunter, led the team that located the vessel about 20 miles offshore between Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin, in October 2022. Ehorn has been hunting for shipwrecks since he was 15. He had been trying to find Lac La Belle since 1965. This breakthrough came thanks to a clue from fellow explorer Ross Richardson, which helped him narrow down the search area.
Using side-scan sonar, Ehorn’s team identified the wreck just two hours after starting their dive. Reflecting on the discovery, Ehorn described it as a “puzzle.” His excitement was palpable when he found the sunken ship, saying he felt “super elated.”
The ship, built in Cleveland in 1864, originally operated between Cleveland and Lake Superior. It sank in the St. Clair River in 1866 after a collision but was raised in 1869. On the fateful night of October 13, 1872, Lac La Belle left Milwaukee with 53 people aboard. Just two hours into its journey, it began to take on water. Despite the captain’s efforts to return to shore, the ship was overwhelmed by waves and sank, taking eight lives.
Today, the wreck is covered with quagga mussels, but the hull remains intact and well-preserved. The Great Lakes hold a staggering 6,000 to 10,000 shipwrecks, many still waiting to be discovered, according to research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ehorn has now located 15 shipwrecks, but he admits the search is getting tougher. “The easier ones have been found,” he said. The urgency of these searches has increased as invasive species like quagga mussels threaten the preservation of wrecks, making the task of locating and studying them even more critical.
For more insights on shipwreck exploration and the environmental impacts on underwater heritage sites, you can visit the Wisconsin Water Library.
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