| Detailed Information for Pretoria |
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Dive guide available
| WHS Mooring on site
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| General Information |
Attraction Photos |
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| Name: |
Pretoria |
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| Type: |
WHS Mooring Buoys |
| Maritime Trail: |
Lake Superior |
| Lake: |
Superior |
| City: |
Apostle Islands, Outer Island Shoals |
| County: |
ASHLAND |
| Open to Public: |
Yes
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| Description: |
At 338 feet, the Pretoria was one of the longest wooden cargo ships ever built. On September 1, 1905, the heavily laden schooner-barge left Superior, Wisconsin with a load of iron ore. Headed for South Chicago under the tow of the steamer Venezuela, the two ships encountered one of the worst storms in Lake Superior history. After weathering the storm for several hours, the Pretoria�s steering gear failed, causing the towline to the Venezuela to part. Blinded by the storm, the Venezuela lost sight of the Pretoria and sought shelter in Ashland.
Terrific winds pushed the Pretoria, now alone and helpless, sideways across Lake Superior at an incredible 4 mph. As the ship approached the rocky cliffs of Outer Island, her anchor caught the bottom. Powerful waves slowly tore the vessel apart, forcing the captain and his crew of nine into the lifeboat. Heavy surf capsized the boat near shore. The elderly Outer Island Lighthouse keeper repeatedly plunged into the lake and pulled five men to safety while five others drowned.
Today, the Pretoria lies in 55 feet of water about one mile NE of Outer Island and is marked with a seasonal WHS mooring buoy. The tremendous scale of the wreck, coupled with the relatively intact state of the lower hull makes this an outstanding shipwreck to visit.
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| Links & More Information: |
Coordinates and historical information WHS shipwreck database entry for Pretoria
Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks Detailed history and photos of the Pretoria
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