SS Cedarville
Encyclopedia
SS Cedarville was a bulk carrier
that carried limestone
on the Great Lakes
in the mid 1900s until it sank after a collision
with another ship
, SS Topdalsfjord.
in River Rouge, Michigan
. The ship was launched as the SS A.F. Harvey, and entered service for the Pittsburgh Steamship division of US Steel. In 1956, the ship was transferred to the Bradley Transportation Division, still owned by US Steel. As part of the transfer, the ship was converted to be a self-unloading vessel and was renamed Cedarville.
and Gary, Indiana
with a load of 14,411 ton
s of limestone
. A mile east of the Mackinac Bridge
, in heavy fog, Cedarville collided with the Norwegian
ship SS Topdalsfjord. The collision occurred as a result of miscommunication between the two ships, which both changed their course a mile away from each other, with Topdalsfjord' s captain steering his ship on a course that would lead to the two vessels passing each other on their starboard sides. The captain of Cedarville, however, intended for his vessel to cross the bow of Topdalsfjord, but his message stating such was not received by Topdalsfjord, which continued on a course that led to it colliding with Cedarvilles port side.
While the collision caused only superficial damage above the waterline, consisting mainly of broken railings and deck plates, the bow of Topdalsfjord had created a large hole in Cedarvilles hull below the waterline, and within minutes of the collision a slight list to the port had developed. The captain of Cedarville ordered water to be pumped into the starboard ballast tanks to counteract the listing, and intended to try to run the ship aground to prevent it from sinking. As the ship moved towards land, however, the weight of the water within the hull forced the bow down, and the ship began listing to starboard, eventually rolling over before sinking. Most survivors of the collision, in which ten out of the 35 aboard died, were picked up by the German freighter MV Weissenburg, and subsequently transferred to the US Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw.
in water is around 110 feet (33.5 m) deep, although the highest point of the hull is around 35 feet (10.7 m) below the surface and the cabins of the ship are around 75 feet (22.9 m) underwater. Expert divers are able to enter the ship, as most parts remain fairly undamaged.
The Cedarville is the third largest ship lost on the Great Lakes after the Edmund Fitzgerald
and Carl Bradley
.
Bulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
that carried limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
in the mid 1900s until it sank after a collision
Collision
A collision is an isolated event which two or more moving bodies exert forces on each other for a relatively short time.Although the most common colloquial use of the word "collision" refers to accidents in which two or more objects collide, the scientific use of the word "collision" implies...
with another ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
, SS Topdalsfjord.
Service history
Cedarville was built in 1927 by the Great Lakes Engineering WorksGreat Lakes Engineering Works
The Great Lakes Engineering Works was a shipbuilding company with a shipyard in River Rouge, Michigan that operated between 1902 and 1960. Within three years of its formation, it was building fifty percent of the tonnage of all ships in the Great Lakes. During World War II, GLEW was...
in River Rouge, Michigan
River Rouge, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,917 people, 3,640 households, and 2,504 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,713.9 per square mile . There were 4,080 housing units at an average density of 1,528.0 per square mile...
. The ship was launched as the SS A.F. Harvey, and entered service for the Pittsburgh Steamship division of US Steel. In 1956, the ship was transferred to the Bradley Transportation Division, still owned by US Steel. As part of the transfer, the ship was converted to be a self-unloading vessel and was renamed Cedarville.
Sinking
On 7 May 1965, Cedarville was travelling between Rogers City, MichiganRogers City, Michigan
-Commercial airports:The nearest commercial airports are Alpena County Regional Airport an Cherry Capital Airport -US Highway Business Loops:* BUS US 23-Intercounty Highways:* F-21-Demographics:...
and Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
with a load of 14,411 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. A mile east of the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
, in heavy fog, Cedarville collided with the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
ship SS Topdalsfjord. The collision occurred as a result of miscommunication between the two ships, which both changed their course a mile away from each other, with Topdalsfjord
While the collision caused only superficial damage above the waterline, consisting mainly of broken railings and deck plates, the bow of Topdalsfjord had created a large hole in Cedarvilles hull below the waterline, and within minutes of the collision a slight list to the port had developed. The captain of Cedarville ordered water to be pumped into the starboard ballast tanks to counteract the listing, and intended to try to run the ship aground to prevent it from sinking. As the ship moved towards land, however, the weight of the water within the hull forced the bow down, and the ship began listing to starboard, eventually rolling over before sinking. Most survivors of the collision, in which ten out of the 35 aboard died, were picked up by the German freighter MV Weissenburg, and subsequently transferred to the US Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw.
Inquiry into sinking
A US Coast Guard inquiry into the incident found that the captain of Cedarville was at fault for the sinking; he subsequently was charged with four counts of faulty seamanship. He initially pleaded innocent, but in August 1965 changed his plea to guilty. His license was suspended for a year as a result of the inquiry.Wreck site
The wreck of Cedarville lies in the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck PreserveStraits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve
The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve is a state preserve in and around the Straits of Mackinac. The preserve is divided in two by the Mackinac Bridge. The waters of the preserve include the waters offshore from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, as well as all or part of the shorelines of Bois...
in water is around 110 feet (33.5 m) deep, although the highest point of the hull is around 35 feet (10.7 m) below the surface and the cabins of the ship are around 75 feet (22.9 m) underwater. Expert divers are able to enter the ship, as most parts remain fairly undamaged.
The Cedarville is the third largest ship lost on the Great Lakes after the Edmund Fitzgerald
SS Edmund Fitzgerald
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that made headlines after sinking in a Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29. When launched on June 8, 1958, she was the largest boat on North America's Great Lakes, and she remains...
and Carl Bradley
SS Carl D. Bradley
The was a self-unloading Great Lakes freighter that sank in a storm on November 18, 1958. Of the 35 crew members, 33 died in the sinking and 23 were from the port town of Rogers City, Michigan. Her sinking was likely caused by structural failure from the brittle steel used in her...
.