5 Horrible Lake Huron Disasters 

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My great grandfather, William John Hurley Jr. perished on the SS Argus, his story is the reason I joined the Coast Guard as an AST, retiring in 2025, 20 years in all. Many thanks for the video, brother.

After watching your Great Lakes videos I am even more in awe of my grandfather. He signed on his first boat in 1919 when he was 14 as a dishwasher and dogsbody (his words). He retired in 1975 as a chief engineer. He didn’t want to leave his engines, but at 70 it was time. 56 years on the lakes and didn’t lose a single ship. He told me once that he always worked November for the bonus money. My respect and admiration for all the men and women who lived, worked,and died on the Lakes. Without them our country’s growth would have been much slower.

As far as the name of the Kaliyuga, I remember reading that the owner of the shipping line thought the name meant "age of iron". At one point he was told it meant "age of strife", but apparently ignored this information because he thought the name sounded good.

Will add that through recent research and information, Argus is actually in one piece capsized on the bottom of Lake Huron just like The Charles Price, John McGean, Regina, and Isaac M Scott. Ironically all these boats excluding the Regina were carrying coal and all have the same damage to the stern. Indicating that they all rolled, the cargo busting through the hatches leaving air trapped in the hull. Then they stayed afloat dragging their sterns on the lake bottom. The Hydrus carrying ore, was found right side up with the bow torn and bent at a 45 degree angle to the rest of the hull. Therefore the Hydrus is the ship that Iler saw go down. Because it was nighttime it would have been very easy to mistake the 2 ships as the Hydrus and Argus were literally identical.

As a lifelong resident of Collingwood, Ontario…I’ve heard variations of these stories all of my life. The hotel in Collingwood you mention would be The Globe Hotel (built in 1865), later known as The Mountainview Hotel. The building was , sadly, torn down in 2012 and the property now houses a medical building. Our historic shipyard site is now home to hundreds of condos. 😔 I am, proudly…the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of shipbuilders and sailors. I continue to pass these stories on to my own children and grandchildren. ♥️

Back in 1983, I was on a 40 foot sailboat, racing in the Chicago to Mackinac that year. Almost right away, fog rolled in. We couldn't see our own bow. Next thing we know, and a much larger sailboat crossed right in front of us. Don't know how we didn't hit each other. Than we were sailing thru the straight between Michigan and the Manitou islands at night. We were riding the surf that was rolling North. All the sudden, the wind shifted out of the Northwest from due South. As the stern of the boat rolled up on a wave, we got hit from a wave coming from the NW which caused the front of the boat to submarine and lifted the stern out of the water. Never under estimate the power of any body of water. Water can become extremely violent in no time. All boats can be destroyed in a storm.

The old film you are using is incredible. The infrastructure along the lakes can still be found in places. I didn't realize that so much stock film footage was available. Great video.

As I’m home on disability I’m able to spend the day binge watching your excellent content, thank you sir for an excellent diversion from my woes

The lady who begged her husband to not go that night, because she had a dream that the ship was sinking and that they would perish, probably gave him the biggest "I told you so" as the ship started to sink ... RIP all the souls involved.

Whatever you do, please do not change your video presentation. The music, the use of old B & W film and your narration creates a foreboding atmosphere that perfectly suits the stories you choose to tell. Have you thought of doing more nautical video tragedies from around the world? I understand the research would be harder but the results would be worth it. Well done.

7:22 wow… this detail somehow makes the story even more heartbreaking. The captain likely knew the freezing temperatures and towering swells had sealed their fate. But he still tried to help her defy the odds, at the cost of dooming himself. And even then, he also knew wearing a life jacket would greatly increase the odds the body would be found and recovered- giving her family closure

Your documentaries are simply fabulous. Solid content with just enough drama -- no dumbing down and no hype.

I can’t get over how polished Big Old Boats is compared to MANY other “popular” channels. Hands down…the best long form content on YT. Not only compared to other “ships” channels but all others too…even Mr. Beast could learn a thing (or a thousand) from you!

The man narrating these videos has a beautiful voice. It's perfect for the stories he's telling. God bless the souls of all those lost on the Great Lakes. May they rest in peace. May perpetual light shine upon them.

All of those low-freeboard freighters like Choctaw were fundamentally unseaworthy. Freeboard isn’t just there for keeping waves off, it’s reserve buoyancy.

The vintage video segments along with the old style film format place you at the top of my maritime list. Your narration style tops it all off perfectly. Well done!!

Was not expecting to hear Cleveland Cliff, my grandfather worked at a coal mine owned by them for many years. I didn't realize the name was so old. They were not very popular if you're wondering, but most mining companies aren't, it's rare they do well by their workforce.

Kali Yuga is also called the"Age of Iron " (Gold, Silver, Copper and Iron are other Names for the hinduist 4 Ages)... It matches the time of industrialisation perfectly - but it is somehow sarcastic... But maybe not ment sarcastic, but yust not knowing that Kali is also connected to death and darkness. Excuse my englisch , greetings from germany ;-)

I live in Michigan and love watching the ore boats. I’m currently waiting to see the Lee A Tregurtha pass by marine city. I don’t think I would have started ship watching if it wasn’t for this channel.

The captain life jacket story brought me to tears. Really hope that’s true lol

My ancestors ran a lighthouse off the coast of Newfoundland and ran ships between the rock and mainland Canada. It amazes me that any of them survived long enough for me to have ever inhaled a breath.

Lake Huron roll, Superior sings, in the rooms of her ice water mansion.

Love your channel, just discovered it. I'm a U.S. Coast Guard Veteran who spent 3 years on the Great Lakes on a ice breaker. Love learning the shipping history on the Lakes.

I would love a video on the SS Keewatin! Great Lakes passenger steamer built in 1907 that is still around today!

I remember very well living outside of Clinton,but on the still foggy still night I could hear the Goderich foghorn..that was the calm before the storm .."when the gales in November came early.. " then hearing the news the next day of the Edmonton Fitzgerald!! I remember it as if it was yesterday.. it was rare it was still enough to hear the foghorn from that distance.

As usual..... Outstanding research and presentation. The commitment to quality is off the chart.

If you ever find yourself in Michigan. Port Huron and the Saint Clair river is the best spot to see all the modern freighters. Also several museam and museam ships in Port Huron and along the river all about the old ships and shipwrecks that litter the lake.

Great video, thanks. I have a suggestion, how about a story on the Lee Tregurtha / USS Chiwawa ? The Tregurtha is the only laker I know of that still carries it's 6 battle citations from WWII on the railing of it's pilot house.

Great to see the SS Erie Belle featured here! Grew up in Kincardine, we used to climb on what's left of the Belle's boiler where it sits in the sand on Boiler Beach. I was always fascinated by the story, likely just because of how visible the influence of the event was on the town. Heck, the towns old ice house even became a pub called the Erie Belle.

I’m suprised that you didn’t talk about the Pewabic. That ship could be a whole topic on its own. You know it’s bad when it has the title “The Death Ship of Lake Huron”

I do enjoy hearing these stories. It brings to life how people lived, worked and sadly lost their lives on the Great Lakes in times long since past. One thing that I have noticed is that Lake Ontario doesn't really seem to feature that often. Is there any particular reason for this?

Love your stuff mate. As a Brit who lived in St Joseph, Michigan for 3 years back in the late 80's, I'm always interested in the great lakes. Cheers mate. 😊

Can't wait for you to do Lake Erie. The Reed from the Choctaw story had an eerily similar fate to the Choctaw off of North Kingsville/Conneaut in 1944

My pea brain kept hearing "Wahcondah" as "Wakanda" 😂 I love these stories ❤ Edit: did I hear "SS Waldo" twice?

Another excellent episode. From the calming, eloquent, narration to the amazing photographs and riveting text, you have set a high bar, my friend. Thank you! P.S. the music is perfect!

"What's this valve for? Keeping the boiler from reaching its bursting point? Wire that thing shut! We need MOAR POWAH."

You know when that ship started to sink her husband thought “well great! I’m gonna hear about this for the rest of my life!” And turns out he was not wrong!

As a Lorainite, it's almost unbelievable how far the city has fallen from this point in its history.

I’m shocked to hear the Canadians refused to abide by the travel lanes. Ignoring rules because FU that’s why is more of an American move. One would think that after passing ship after ship coming at them head on the captain would voluntarily decide to follow the lanes.

Thank you for another interesting and very high quality video about these mostly forgotten ships of the Great Lakes. Really appreciate it👍🏻

Wow, a cylinder head explosion, that would have been like 5 grenades going off, shrapnel and all....I couldn't imagine what that was like...

Wonderful work! Please in a future video can you give the ss kamloops a good video. I'd love to hear more on captain William brian, Alicia bettridge who unfortunately died on Isle Royal but wrote a message in a bottle that her family had, and Nettie grafton who went down on the kamloops. 😁

When I was 18 and started in the navy, I never believed the stories about people dreaming of impending disaster, and then died on a ship in distress. I relegated the idea to old superstition and folklore. But then, years later, a friend of mine was taking a cruise and dreamed of an accident, and low and behold. It happened. He wasn't killed. Nobody was. Fortunately. but the cruise ship got hit at the stern and a few cabins were ripped open towards the sea, but not endangering the ship. Only making it neccesary to come in for repairs. And my friends cabin was the last one before the ones being ripped open, so it did sustain some buckled bulkheads and other light damage, forcing him to have a change of cabin for the rest of the cruise into the next port of call, at which point the cruise was of course cut short. Then, again, a few years after that, a woman that I knew was taking a cruise. She had a horrible dream about it that scared her so much that she canceled the trip. That turned out to be rather lucky as it was the liner that ended up with people living in squalid conditions with no toilets and bad food for days. At that point, I still didn't believe that it was something to take seriously. But I couldn't very well deny that these incidents within my own circle of friends was just a tad too much of a coincidence either. Then it happened to myself. I had a dream that my patrol ship would suffer some sort of damage and as a result would crash into something and sink. Now luckily, it didn't come to that. I still serve on her. But the very next patrol ended in a serious scare for all of us. We were putting into port when the ship very suddenly learched and turned sharply to port, straight for a bridge pillar, and with no rudder command given to make it happen. I was on the forecastle with 4 other men, preparing for mooring when it happened and the bridge suddenly loomed very close and approaching fast. I tell you guys, none of us have ever cleared the forecastle so fricking fast before or since. By some miracle, the skipper managed to slow us down and turn the ship the other way just in the nick of time to avoid the bridge pillar and in the end we moored undamaged, but a bit rattled. Ever since that incident, I have never dared to write off any dreams of impending ships accidents without thinking that I don't want to be on that ship any time soon. One is just the luck of the draw. 2 is coincidence. but 3???? Forget about it. I'm a believer now, I have to admit. I feel so terrible for that young woman who dreamed about her husband dying in the frigid waters, and then going on that very ship and die herself, maybe even experiencing real time the very dream of her husband dying in front of her eyes before she passed away herself. I can't even begin to understand the terror she must have felt in those last moments of her life.

So you've already covered the disaster of the Christmas tree ship. What festive event do you have in store for us this Crimbo?

just a point of detail: according to some interpretations of the evidence, it might have been 'hydrus' rather than 'argus'. both sank in roughly the same area at roughly the same time

Absolutely love your videos, so much information. Great video content. And I really enjoy your focus on the Great Lakes. There is so much history out there that still has not been discovered! Thank you! And keep up the amazing work!

Geez young fella you do such a great service to the boat men and passengers that perished . Very well put together with your knowledge and enthusiasm all shining through in the finished product. AND. I’m not even into boats, I suppose a morbid yet be it terrifying interest in sinking sand their associated chaos

Good to see your face😊Thanks so much for your channel 😊

The footage is just great, I love it, all these ships, the working men, the harbors, the towns, and ports... Great channel, fantastic job!

Cannot believe somebody as sharp as you still live in NY….escape, escape, escape….before it is to late.

The L. C. Waldo sounds like it deserves a video of its own. Her captain and wheelsman braved the waves of the Gale of 1913 after her bridge was smashed. And she had encounters with several of the ships in this video. What more did she do?

I grew up in Port Huron, MI on the St. Clair river. There's some shipwreck monuments at the Blue Water Bridges. Cool video thanks for posting.

Such a nice calm, soothing voice. I really enjoy listening to these while I work.

Just home from night shift and bam new video happy days

Interesting. I live in Michigan, and I actually sail with the Interlake Steamship Company on the Lakes. But I never heard about the Argus

I have a deep fondness in my heart for Lake Huron. Great video, love the narrator's voice keep up the great work!

The picture at 6:45 almost gave me a Gen Z heart attack(so basically a little bit of anxiety). I had the video fullscreen and I was momentarily convinced I had put a huge horizontal crack in my screen. Hahah

I hadn't seen the face of the creator on this channel before. Now I know what Clark Kent does in his free time when he's not being Superman.

Great video as always! Who needs netflix with all these great youtubers doing a better job 😂

I saw you had some footage of the Sagamo. She was a steamship on the Muskoka Lakes out of Gravenhurst Ontario. There is still a steamship from that era in service. The RMS Segwun. Still does summer cruises.

I go to the soo locks every chance i get to watch the ships.your voice is awesome for this

Great video! I'm fascinated with Great Lakes maritime history and I really enjoy your vidoes that cover this subject.

I love the way you do these documentaries! Soft voice, factual and I love the history behind all of them. Thank you for that! I wish more folks would take a note on how you do it! 👍😊

Nice seeing you on film it's very nice for me to be able to put a face to your amazing work thankyou for all the great content

the captain of the SS Argus was a real man sad he could not save any of his crew

Kincardine, Ontario has a restaurant named The Erie Belle after the ship. We had a cottage near Boiler Beach.

You do such a great job on these stories. Love the music, old films, etc. excellent channel!!

Nice 👍 job on the video! Men dedicated themselves to there jobs and paid the ultimate price give them a moment of silence to those that were forgotten and most likely never properly buried

Wow we finally get to see the face behind Big Old Boats! Keep making the awesome content!

Great progression in the videos. The audio, editing and storytelling has gotten better and better! Love the videos and put them on once a day until I catch up so I can definitely see the difference haha. Also, don't want to be that guy but 7.5 meters is about 25 feet...

Visiting Lake Huron so many time, it still shocks me how many shipwrecks there are in this lake. This video only emphasizes 5. RIP to all those lost in all those shipwrecks

Can you start listing the beam as well as length and tonnage? That'd be great if you can. As always another great video, thank you!

This is so well put together I've watched it 3 time today. More please!!!

Your research is absolutely amazing, please keep going. I always look forward to your documentaries. And it's very bad luck to rename a ship. Even if a new owner takes the ship, you always keep the same name.

you have come a long way..and i have been with you when you barely had 10K..not surprised of your rapid increase of subs/views..excellent research and enjoyable viewing of epic events..hope you get to 100K soon..

I live 3 min walk from the lake and it’s spooky knowing how many lives she has taken I hear the waves whilest I sleep I live near a cemetery where there’s a gravestone for a young sailor who washed up on the beach 60 years ago

I'm always surprised at how reckless the ship captains of those days were. As proven time and again, no ship is unsinkable.

Excellent video - as always. So much history I haven't heard of before. Thanks so much for all your effort!

Boilers don't " overheat " the pressure gets too high and the rupture. Now steam expands at 16,000 times it's volume when released from pressure. The Erie Bell could have blocked the relief valve to build pressure. It was a common practice on the Ohio and Mississippi River boats with sudden dismantling of the boat in its future. An engine blow would be bad ( steam flooding the engine room killing everyone bad. I hope they didn't have time to scream) . A stuck then released water inlet valve or an overpressure of the boiler would have disassembled the Erie into smaller than original parts. Scattering thep over a half to full mile radius. Yes I work on boilers as a day job.

Think of all the cyber crooks you have offended by referring to them as "creepy"! 😂 Great channel. Keep up the good work. 👍

Perfect timing! Thanks!

0:47 Minor correction: The waves were topping not 25 but 35 feet.

Very impressed by the footage- obviously they arent from the actual disasters so someone must've done a lot of archival research to obtain close matches. Well done

Ahhhh nothing like seeing my fav vacation ground in a RU-vid video and see all the corpses I’m surrounded by while chilling on the beach or going out on the water.

You speak so well. No filler comment, just the facts.!!! Great to listen to.

Always brilliant content with the most amazing(ly eerie) visuals. Thanks!

Love your videos!! Another excellent presentation

I just love your videos! I always look forward to the next one. Thank you for making them. ❤️

Love the longer vids.

Can you do the story of the Cedarville on the Mackinaw Straits?

First I would like to say it's great seeing your face. Now I imagine you personally speaking to us! Thank you for your time and investigating skills! Every one of your chapters on these ships is beautifully done. Thank you for sharing!

29:00 I always wondered that about HMS Terror and Erebus. Even when they are intended as warships, it'll always be the crew that has to live (and die) under such a dark name, not the enemy. It makes no sense.

Great Lakes history is the best. awesome people

PhD historian Sean Munger recommended this channel. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.

Thank you - a great film. I particularly enjoy the old films of the ships and the Lakes conditions; the ice shots in particular are horrifying. Presumably you've culled the more dramatic shots from 'Night to Remember' and other, older, movie dramas? I always look forward to your films, and have particularly enjoyed seeing your 'likes' counter increase by some 22 while watching this!

I do a bunch of diving out on the lakes these videos are very informative and interesting to learn about some of the places I’ve been

Thank you for another brilliant presentation.

My guess on the name for the Kaliyuga is that the company saw that word and thought it sounded good and just chose it without looking up the meaning.

Changing a boat's name brings bad luck is the old lore.