Yes, it is a very comfortable paddle out to the Continental. It is clearly marked from shore during the months of July through September. The buoys are visible from shore.
The Fateful Wreck of the SS Continental
Shrouded in the icy grip of a December snowstorm in 1904, the steam-powered bulk freighter Continental met its fate just a mile north of Rawley Point Lighthouse, where a captain’s fateful navigational error sent the empty vessel crashing at high speed onto a hidden sandbar—ending 22 years of faithful service on the Great Lakes.
The wreck of the steam-powered bulk freighter Continental is located about a mile north of the Rawley Point Lighthouse. After 22 years of service on the Great Lakes, the Continental met its unfortunate end in a blinding snowstorm in December 1904. While steaming south past Twin Rivers Point (now Rawley Point) in route to Manitowoc for the winter, the captain became disoriented and mistakenly steered the ship towards shore. Without cargo, the vessel rode high in the water and approached the shore at high speed, eventually hitting a sandbar and sliding far onto it.
Fortunately, all 20 crew members safely made it to shore with the assistance of local fishermen. Despite efforts from tugboats, the Continental was too heavily grounded to be pulled free. Over the winter, the immense power of expanding and shifting ice destroyed the vessel.
Today, the Continental sits in15 feet of water, with the cylinder heads of its compound steam engine occasionally breaking the surface during periods of low water. Most of its hull structure remains, and sections of the wreckage are sometimes uncovered by shifting sand.
The Incident
- Vessel: Continental, a steam-powered bulk freighter.
- Date: December 12, 1904.
- Cause: A blinding snowstorm with extremely low visibility led the captain to become disoriented and steer the ship toward shore.
- Location: One mile north of Twin Rivers Point (now Rawley Point) in Lake Michigan.
- Outcome: The vessel, riding high in the water with no cargo, struck a sandbar at high speed and was pushed far onto the shore.
The Aftermath
- Rescue: All 20 crew members were able to safely make it to shore with help from local fishermen.
- Destruction: Tugboats were unable to free the grounded ship, and the vessel was ultimately destroyed by winter ice over the following months.
- Current State: The wreck of the Continental now rests in about 15 feet of water.
Significance
- The Continental's wreck is a significant historical site that provides archaeologists with valuable data about early bulk carrier construction and operation on the Great Lakes.
It is located in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, an area dedicated to preserving and exploring the region's rich maritime heritage.
For more information visit https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wisconsin/