Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Remora
  • Official Number: Not listed
  • Date Built: 1883
  • Builder: Joel Norton, Richmond (Fairport), Ohio
  • Dimensions: 137 ft × 26 ft × 12 ft (41.8 m × 7.9 m × 3.7 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 450 GRT
  • Date Lost: August 3, 1892
  • Place of Loss: At anchor, St. Ignace harbor, near Straits of Mackinac, Lake Huron
  • Cause of Loss: Fire of unknown origin
  • Cargo: None
  • Crew: No loss of life
  • Ownership: Captain Vosburgh
    (linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org)

Vessel Type

Wooden-hulled steam Tug.

Description

The Remora was a mid‑sized wooden steam Tug, built in 1883 by the well‑known builder Joel Norton in Richmond (Fairport), Ohio. Measuring 137 feet (41.8 m) in length with a beam of 26 feet (7.9 m) and a Hull depth of 12 feet (3.7 m), she displaced approximately 450 gross tons. The Tug was likely used for towing vessels and barges in the Straits region, including at St. Ignace.

History

After nearly a decade of Tug operations, Remora had laid up in St. Ignace harbor for about a week by early August 1892. On August 3rd, while still anchored, fire broke out onboard from unknown causes. The blaze rapidly destroyed the Tug, sinking her in about six feet (1.8 m) of water. The only occupants at the time were the captain and a watchman; both escaped and there were no reported casualties. Later, the Tug’s machinery was salvaged and auctioned off.

Final Disposition

Remora was destroyed by fire and sank at her moorings in shallow water; her remains likely remain buried in sediment beneath the harbor.

Located By & Date Found

There are no confirmed surveys or rediscoveries of the wreck to date.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No navigational markers indicate the wreck or warn of its presence at the site.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Remora highlights the risk of fire aboard steam vessels laid up in harbor – even anchored and thought safe. Though modest in size and value, her loss underlines the hazards of maritime operations in the Great Lakes during the steam era.

Keywords: Remora, St. Ignace, steam Tug, 1892 fire, Great Lakes shipwrecks
Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Huron, late‑19th‑century maritime incidents, steam tugs
Glossary Terms:

  • Gross Register Tonnage (GRT): A measure of a vessel’s internal volume, not weight.
  • Steam Tug: A small, steam‑powered vessel used for towing or pushing larger ships or barges.
  • Laid Up: Taken out of active service and moored for a period of inactivity.