129, Whaleback barge wreck in Lake Superior, United States
Barge 129 is a sunken cargo vessel resting on the floor of Lake Superior in the United States. The wreck lies broken into several pieces, spread across a wide area of the lake bed at great depth.
The vessel was built in 1892 by the American Steel Barge Company in Wisconsin and sank in October 1902 during a severe storm on Lake Superior. It was one of many ships lost on the Great Lakes during a period when industrial shipping was rapidly expanding.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society discovered this vessel in 2021, adding substantial knowledge to Great Lakes maritime research and preservation efforts.
The great depth makes this site unreachable for ordinary divers, and only teams with specialized equipment can attempt to explore the wreck. Any research or diving operation here requires careful preparation and professional support due to the demanding lake conditions.
The ship was built with a rounded deck and cone-shaped ends, a hull design developed by shipbuilder Alexander McDougall to improve stability in rough water. This type of vessel became known as a whaleback and was a genuine novelty on the Great Lakes at the time.
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