By Tyler Bradford
Guest Writer, Dive News Network

In terms of shipwrecks, the Gunilda is Lake Superior’s crown jewel. Often the demise of ships can be characterized as tragic but the Gunilda falls squarely into the “believe it or not” category.

Built in Scotland in 1897 the luxury multi-deck steam yacht Gunilda was powered by a triple expansion engine. At 195 ft. in length and almost 25 ft. at the beam the white steel hull was adorned with beautiful gold leaf scrollwork and was a head turning sight to behold. The Gunilda was so impressive that it was the flagship of the New York Yacht Club. Here is where the first historical discrepancy can be found. There are accounts that list the Gunilda’s cost at $100,000 while other accounts list it at over $1,000,000 and suggest that it was insured for $100,000.

The owner of this majestic vessel was William Harkness, a wealthy New York businessman who was one of the first investors in Standard Oil. He used the yacht for entertaining friends and family and in 1911 decided to make his first trip into the Great Lakes for some fishing and adventure.

The waters of Lake Superior were not as well charted as they are today and to make matters worse, there were discrepancies between the US and Canadian charts. The Captain of the Gunilda suggested the a local guide be hired to assist with navigation through the multiple islands that dot Superior’s remote northern coast but the guide’s fee of $11 dollars (some reports say the fee was $15) was money that Harkness was not willing to part with. As Harkness and his group of friends and family pressed on making their way through the islands, little did they know, a date with destiny was looming in their immediate future.

Without warning they struck McGarvey shoal which rises up from a depth of 270 ft. to just a few feet below the surface. The Gunilda was solidly grounded with about 60 ft. of her forward section sticking up in the air. There were no injuries and a large tug was called in to haul the Gunilda off the shoal. Upon arriving the tug captain advised they should have a barge present to stabilize the yacht as it was pulled off but Harness would hear none of it and ordered the captain to get on with the job. As the Gunilda was pulled free it rolled over and the masts hit the water. She filled with water and sank 270 ft. to the bottom of the shoal.

Today the Gunilda rests upright and level on the bottom. Described as one of the finest shipwrecks in the world by Jacque Cousteau and his crew during their trip through the Great Lakes in 1980, the Gunilda certainly deserves that reputation. The dark cold waters of Lake Superior have done an amazing job of preserving this ship. Diving the Gunilda begins with a descent that soon brings the loss of natural light and temperature. Arriving on the stern of the 100 year old time capsule divers can still see the gold leaf against the white hull and the letters “NYYC”, (New York Yacht Club). Moving forward the stern steering station and binnacle are in amazing condition. A sailing skiff is still in its davits waiting to be launched. Companion ways run along both sides of the ship and the many windows allow divers to view large parts of the interior without having to penetrate the ship. Glass roofs are undamaged, fireplaces some with a clock and fan on the mantle look as though they could be used again with little effort, a piano stands upright and card tables with chairs wait for players to take their seat. The lantern room still holds all the lanterns and three binnacles are placed from bow to stern. The ship’s steam whistle lies on the deck still attached to the mast.

The incredible condition of the Flying Bridge will leave divers doubting the ship has been on the bottom for the past century. Telegraphs, binnacles and ship’s wheels are located on the deck and look as though they could be used again with little effort. The bow section boasts a large anchor lashed to the deck and beautiful scrollwork with more gold leaf and the letter “G” on either side of the bowsprit.

The Gunilda is a dive that needs to be taken slowly to maximize your enjoyment. The ship is loaded with detail that will be missed unless divers take their time. Although the Gunilda is a long drive from anywhere and in a very remote area with no diving services, it is well worth the effort to get there. This is an outstanding dive for the advanced trimix diver who will be rewarded with images and memories that will be difficult to match. ■

Tyler Bradford is a technical dive instructor trainer for open circuit and closed circuit with more than 25 years experience. He teaches and leads technical dives all over the world. For more information regarding diving the Gunilda contact Tyler Bradford of Advanced Diving & Expeditions Inc. at www.advancedexpeditions.com .