by Brendan » October 7, 2010, 10:51 pm
"The West German motor vessel Nordmeer was heading up Lake Huron shortly after 8:00pm on Nov. 19, 1966; the weather was clear and high and the 14-knot wind from the north produced seas only a foot high. Aboard the Nordmeer was Canadian Great Lakes pilot J. L. McGowan. The bridge watch consisted of Chief Mate Karl Wolfgang Kerlen and the wheelsman. When Kerlen came on watch at 8, the ship's master, Captain Steinbeck, and McGowan were on the bridge. A Radar fix at 8 PM located the position of the ship. On McGowan's advice, Captain Steinbeck ordered a course that would bring the ship more nearly on the usual steamer track, and Kerlen set the change on the automatic pilot. About 8:15 the master left the bridge with the understanding that the course would be changed again after the vessel had passed the buoy on Thunder Bay Island shoal.
About 8:20 the ship passed Thunder Bay Island to port and at the same time overhauled the lake freighter Samuel Mather, which was about half a mile to starboard. To avoid crossing ahead of the Mather, the pilot advised a change of course, which the mate applied to the automatic pilot. After 3 or 4 minutes the pilot recommended resuming the usual course taken while passing the shoal, and again the mate applied the change. Soon they passed the buoy and McGowan gave a change of course to 324 degrees true, the heading the captain had ordered. He then left the bridge, leaving instructions to call him later.
Kerlen applied the change in course to the autopilot, evidently rather suddenly. The ship was moving at her full speed of about 14 knots; she swung to port, being carried momentarily beyond the intended course as the result of her speed and the abruptness of the change. Two minutes later she struck the reef on her port side and bounced along for several seconds before coming to a stop. Kerlen stopped the engine and sounded the general alarm. Air could be heard rushing out of the double bottom and out of the cargo hold vents on deck, and the hatches of two of the cargo holds burst open.
The feeling of those aboard on hearing a ship take the ground has been described by Joseph Conrad. "It is a sound, for its size, far more terrific to you soul than that of a world violently coming to an end." For, as he says,"the only mission of a seaman's calling is to keep ship's keels off the ground."
The captain and pilot arrived on he bridge immediately. McGowan called the Samuel Mather by radio telephone and asked her to stand by, while Steinbeck and Kerlen fired red distress flares. Within 5 minutes the engine room was flooded. About 9PM the Nordmeer's lifeboats were launched and most of the crew were transferred to the Mather. The captain, two mates, the chief engineer, boatswain and carpenter remained aboard the wrecked Nordmeer.
About 6:20 next morning the US Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw arrived on the scene and took aboard the men who had sheltered on the Mather; the lake freighter proceeded on her way. The master and seven crew members remained on the Nordmeer. The Coast Guard put out temporary navigation lights to mark the wreck.
During the following days the eight men remained aboard the stranded vessel while efforts were made to salvage her and her cargo, but on November 29 the wreck began to break up in heavy seas. Captain Steinbeck sent out a distress signal and all eight were removed successfully by Coast Guard helicopter. On Dec. 1, 1966 the owners of the vessel - through their American agents - officially abandoned the hull.
The Coast Guard investigation put primary blame for the wreck on 'the mate's incautious course change of 17 degrees toward the shoals on the left abruptly applied to the automatic pilot with the vessel making full speed through the water, causing the heading of the vessel to slew past the intended course.'"
Wrecks and Rescues of the Great Lakes, by James P. Barry. p 89-91.
1981 Thunder Bay Press
"The West German motor vessel Nordmeer was heading up Lake Huron shortly after 8:00pm on Nov. 19, 1966; the weather was clear and high and the 14-knot wind from the north produced seas only a foot high. Aboard the Nordmeer was Canadian Great Lakes pilot J. L. McGowan. The bridge watch consisted of Chief Mate Karl Wolfgang Kerlen and the wheelsman. When Kerlen came on watch at 8, the ship's master, Captain Steinbeck, and McGowan were on the bridge. A Radar fix at 8 PM located the position of the ship. On McGowan's advice, Captain Steinbeck ordered a course that would bring the ship more nearly on the usual steamer track, and Kerlen set the change on the automatic pilot. About 8:15 the master left the bridge with the understanding that the course would be changed again after the vessel had passed the buoy on Thunder Bay Island shoal.
About 8:20 the ship passed Thunder Bay Island to port and at the same time overhauled the lake freighter Samuel Mather, which was about half a mile to starboard. To avoid crossing ahead of the Mather, the pilot advised a change of course, which the mate applied to the automatic pilot. After 3 or 4 minutes the pilot recommended resuming the usual course taken while passing the shoal, and again the mate applied the change. Soon they passed the buoy and McGowan gave a change of course to 324 degrees true, the heading the captain had ordered. He then left the bridge, leaving instructions to call him later.
Kerlen applied the change in course to the autopilot, evidently rather suddenly. The ship was moving at her full speed of about 14 knots; she swung to port, being carried momentarily beyond the intended course as the result of her speed and the abruptness of the change. Two minutes later she struck the reef on her port side and bounced along for several seconds before coming to a stop. Kerlen stopped the engine and sounded the general alarm. Air could be heard rushing out of the double bottom and out of the cargo hold vents on deck, and the hatches of two of the cargo holds burst open.
The feeling of those aboard on hearing a ship take the ground has been described by Joseph Conrad. "It is a sound, for its size, far more terrific to you soul than that of a world violently coming to an end." For, as he says,"the only mission of a seaman's calling is to keep ship's keels off the ground."
The captain and pilot arrived on he bridge immediately. McGowan called the Samuel Mather by radio telephone and asked her to stand by, while Steinbeck and Kerlen fired red distress flares. Within 5 minutes the engine room was flooded. About 9PM the Nordmeer's lifeboats were launched and most of the crew were transferred to the Mather. The captain, two mates, the chief engineer, boatswain and carpenter remained aboard the wrecked Nordmeer.
About 6:20 next morning the US Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw arrived on the scene and took aboard the men who had sheltered on the Mather; the lake freighter proceeded on her way. The master and seven crew members remained on the Nordmeer. The Coast Guard put out temporary navigation lights to mark the wreck.
During the following days the eight men remained aboard the stranded vessel while efforts were made to salvage her and her cargo, but on November 29 the wreck began to break up in heavy seas. Captain Steinbeck sent out a distress signal and all eight were removed successfully by Coast Guard helicopter. On Dec. 1, 1966 the owners of the vessel - through their American agents - officially abandoned the hull.
The Coast Guard investigation put primary blame for the wreck on 'the mate's incautious course change of 17 degrees toward the shoals on the left abruptly applied to the automatic pilot with the vessel making full speed through the water, causing the heading of the vessel to slew past the intended course.'"
Wrecks and Rescues of the Great Lakes, by James P. Barry. p 89-91.
1981 Thunder Bay Press