Pretoria Boiler Returns To Wreck

On June 8, 2001, the steam boiler was returned back to the shipwreck, Pretoria, near Outer Island in the Apostle Islands. This was accomplished through the efforts of many people, most notably the Erickson Family of Bayfield, Wisconsin, the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society.
The Pretoria was a 338-ft wooden schooner-barge, loaded with iron ore, that sank on September 2, 1905, a mile off the lighthouse on Outer Island. It was in tow with another ship, the steamer Venezuela, when a violent storm disabled the Pretoria's steering gear and the tow line parted. Captain Smart and his crew scrambled to the life boat, but only five of the crew of ten made it safely to shore.
This is a unique situation. Back in the late 50s, Ed Erickson salvaged various parts and cargo off the Pretoria; including the main boiler.
On Friday, Robbie Erickson, Ed's grandson, skillfully maneuvered the Outer Island (a WWII landing craft, but that's another story) over the wreck and dropped the boiler and a mooring block into the wreckage field. Then divers went down and secured a cable and mooring buoy to the mooring block.
Last summer, Pat Labadie, former director of the Canal Park Museum, and several GLSPS divers convinced Ed to return the boiler to the wreck, where it would add to the historical significance of the shipwreck. Before Ed passed away in March of 2001, he agreed to help return it. Jeff Gray and his crew from the State Underwater Historical Society spent a day marking the wreck for this operation.
Early on June 8, Robbie and his crew from the Outer Island, along with several boats of divers, dropped the boiler onto the wreck site. The mooring buoy will allow divers to easily locate and anchor over the wreck, without damaging the shipwreck.
The copper identification plate from the boiler is in the Bayfield Maritime Museum. The museum has many fascinating artifacts showing shipwrecks and the unique way of life, when one lives near one of the largest fresh-water lakes in the world.
A special thanks to the Erickson family, Ken Dobson of SER Inc, Jeff Gray and his crew, Bob Olson and his crew from GLSPS, The National Park Service, The Wisconsin DNR, The Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation, and many others that helped in this endeavor.

All above-water photographs by Jim Reagan; all underwater photographs by Bruce Bowers. Click on photos for larger image.

Boiler is lowered into the
water.

Boiler is back with
the Pretoria.

Jeff Gray (left) and
Bob Olson.

Mooring block is lowered
into the water.

Divers attach mooring line
to block.

Another view of divers
working on the mooring block.