Northern Light

Constructed in 1888 as a freighter, she emerged as the first steel-hulled steam freighters, designed primarily for navigating the expansive waters of the Great Lakes. Despite passing through various hands, it wasn't until 1917 that her fate took a pivotal turn when an ambitious owner sought to transform her into an ocean-faring vessel. However, her substantial dimensions—300 feet long with a beam of 40 feet—presented a formidable obstacle as she couldn't maneuver through the lock system intact. The unconventional solution involved burning out her rivets, causing her to split in two and allowing passage through the locks. Reassembled and refitted, she found a new berth in Mobile, Alabama, a bustling port hub. The Roaring Twenties brought economic strain, leading to an ill-fated insurance ploy on August 16, 1927. Amid severe financial pressures, her owner orchestrated a fire onboard, alongside several other vessels, in a desperate bid for insurance payouts. Yet, the scheme floundered, culminating in legal repercussions for the owner and marginal damage to the ship. Acquired once more, her new custodian undertook extensive repairs, repurposing her as a practical barge. Tragedy struck on November 8, 1930, during a treacherous tow in turbulent seas. Severed from her escort in a violent storm off Key Largo, she plummeted some 200 feet to rest on Elbow Reef's seabed. The harrowing ordeal claimed the lives of five of her seven crew members, with the remains of five tragically unrecovered.