Search Light (Fishing Tug, built 1899)

Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel name: Search light (commonly as “Searchlight”)
  • Build year: 1899
  • Vessel type: Steam-powered fishing Tug (approx. 40 ft LOA) (Medium)
  • Loss date: April 23, 1907

Circumstances of Loss

Operational History

  • Service region: Based in Harbor Beach, Michigan, engaged in commercial fishing on Lake Huron
  • Typical mission: Deploying and retrieving fishing nets along the near-shore and harbor areas

Wreck & Site Information

  • Site location: Just outside the Harbor Beach Breakwater (Lake Huron)
  • Depth & debris: Likely lies in deeper water near Breakwater; no formal wreck survey found
  • Identification: A historically significant but unverified wreck—no confirmed dives or sonar imaging documented

Rescue & Aftermath

  • Witness response: The Harbor Beach Life-Saving Service observed her plight—crew lost in view
  • Legacy: Considered Harbor Beach’s worst fishing tragedy; commemorated by local oral histories and periodic historical recounts (The Mind of James Donahue, Wikipedia, iHeart)

Research Gaps & Recommended Next Steps

  • Archival sources:
    • Harbor Beach Life-Saving Service station logs (April 1907)
    • Local newspaper accounts: Daily Chronicle, Harbor Beach Times (April–May 1907)
    • Fishing vessel registry for Tug “Searchlight” in late 1800s
  • Site investigation:
    • Conduct side-scan sonar survey near the Breakwater entrance
    • Engage with NOAA Thunder Bay or Michigan Underwater Preserve for potential joint research (site may fall within their jurisdiction)
  • Community engagement:
    • Collect oral histories from Harbor Beach residents or local heritage organizations
    • Examine museum collections for artifacts or records relating to the Searchlight

References & Resources

  • Mike Hardy, The Sinking of the Fishing Tug Searchlight — Harbor Beach’s Worst Fishing Tragedy, published April 23, 1907 recount (online article) (Medium, The Mind of James Donahue, NOAA Sanctuaries)
  • James Donahue’s narrative in Searchlight – The Mind of James Donahue detailing crew loss and Life‑Saving Service observations (The Mind of James Donahue)
  • The End of the Road in Michigan podcast episode discussing community impact and historical context (iHeart)

Keywords & Glossary

  • Region: Harbor Beach, Lake Huron, Michigan
  • Type: Steam fishing Tug
  • Cause of loss: Foundered in sudden gale while net-fishing
  • Crew: Six fishermen, all lost
  • Research methods: Archival logs, sonar survey, oral history
  • Site difficulty: Likely deep and exposed—possible technical dive or remote survey needed

Conclusion

The Searchlight remains a poignant example of early‑20th‑century commercial fishing risks on Lake Huron. Struck by an unexpectedly fierce gale, she sank near her home port with no survivors. While documented in narrative sources, her wreck remains unverified and uncharted—an opportunity exists for archival retrieval and underwater survey. I can assist in locating Life‑Saving Service logs or organizing a geophysical search.