South West Alaska Shipwrecks ( L )

LADY SARAH (1979)     The 86 foot fishing vessel Lady Sarah sank in the Bering Sea near Akutan October 13, 1979.  The crew was picked up by the fishing vessels Sea Wolf and Ocean Leader.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   54 08 05 N 165 46 20 W   Chart 16011

Sources: 1. Unofficial Wreck List (Kodiak), 2. BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011)

 

LADY SELKET (1994)     The 175 ton 87 foot steel crab fishing vessel Lady Selket capsized February 6, 1994 approximately 100 miles NNW of Dutch Harbor in the Bering Sea.  She was on her way in from the fishing grounds with a full load of opilio crab. A broken circulation pipe caused the vessel to flood and roll over.  After attempts to stop the flooding and pump out water failed, the five crewmembers donned survival suits and abandoned ship to a life raft. They were rescued by the fishing vessel Silent Lady.  The derelict hull of the Lady Selket became a hazard to navigation and was sunk by the U S Coast Guard Cutter Rush using 600 rounds of 50 caliber ammunition.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 54 N 166 31 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: Tonnage 175 Gross 152 Net, Length 87.4, Breadth 21, Depth 9.4, Built 1990 Seattle WA, ON 959092

Sources: 1. Unofficial Shipwreck List (Alaska), 2. BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011), 3. USCG MISLE Case # 60809

 

LADY SIMPSON (1981)     The crabber/trawler Lady Simpson flooded through her stern ramp and sank September 9, 1981 approximately 72 miles north of Dutch Harbor.  The crew of six abandoned ship and were picked up 28 hours later by a Japanese trawler.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 54 N 166 31 W   Chart 16011

Source: BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011)

 

LAURADA (1899)     The 1,256 ton 230 foot iron steamer Laurada sprung a leak and was run ashore in Zapadni Bay, St George Island at 11 a.m. September 28, 1899.  The Laurada left Seattle September 12^th bound for Nome with 18 passengers and 46 crewmen.  She was carrying 1,200 tons of assorted cargo including cattle and sheep on deck.  After the vessel stranded, the USCG cutter Corwin rescued the passengers and crew.  The wreck report states that the cargo was a total loss and the Laurada a total wreck.  The vessel was valued at $30,000 with $10,000 worth of insurance.  The cargo was valued at $50,000 with insurance for $40,000.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   56 34 N 169 41 W   Chart 16381

Additional Information: Tonnage 1256, Length 230.1, Breadth 30.2, Depth 17.8, Built Middlesboro England 1864, Registered Seattle, ON 141364, NHP 1,200, Master F M White, Owner Seattle Steamship Company

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed by F M White November 25, 1899 at Puget Sound

 

LCT-319 (1943)     The Navy landing craft LCT-319 ran aground in a storm and sank August 27, 1943 in Kiska Harbor.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   51 58 N 177 34 E   Chart 16012

Source: BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011)

 

LETTIE (1919)     The 27 ton wooden schooner Lettie stranded and was lost at 12:15 a.m. Monday August 4, 1919 near Samalga Island.  The vessel departed Atka with A C Goss of Unalaska, owner and master and three other crewmen aboard bound for Unalaska via Unimak.  They were carrying 4 tons of general merchandise and salt codfish worth $600.  The following statements are from the casualty report made by Goss:

“Dense fog and strong tides.  Very light air, moonlight but thick.”  “Careful deck watch.  Master on deck from 8:00  p.m. 3^rd, and at wheel when grounded.”  “STRANDED…Samalga Reef S.W. end Samalga Is.”  “Tide falling, brisk breeze sprang up on floodtide.  Heavy sea set in.  Abandoned ship at 4:10 a.m.”

The Lettie was valued at $4,500 and her complete loss was reported as $5,100 with cargo.  The vessel had no insurance but the cargo had an open policy for $600.

This same vessel was in the news June 18, 1917 when her master, captain L Johannsen, was washed overboard and lost while salvaging equipment from the wrecked cannery ship Saint Francis at Unimak Pass. The vessel had also salvaged a considerable amount of wreckage from the ships Standard and Saint Katherine.  A C Goss, an agent for Alaska Commercial Company, took the Lettie over when captain Johannsen was lost. Later in 1917 Goss wrecked the Lettie at Atka Island and he and the crew were rescued.  Goss likely purchased the vessel at salvage.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   52 47 N 169 12 W   Chart 16500

Additional Information: Tonnage 27 Net and Gross, Built 1909 at Kodiak, Registered Unalaska, ON 206409

Sources: 1. U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty at Unalaska August 20, 1919 by Goss, 2. Daily Alaska Dispatch (June 24, 1917) “After Master Lost Schooner Ashore” Page Six

LILLIE (1907)     The schooner Lillie was wrecked at Unalaska March 30, 1907 and became a total loss.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 52 30 N 166 32 W   Chart 16528

Source: The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pgs 137&294

LIN J (1999)     The 96 foot crab fishing vessel Lin J was lost with all hands March 18, 1999 approximately eight nautical miles northwest of Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea.  The vessel was thought to have iced up, capsized and sank in the 40 knot winds, ice fog and heavy icing conditions.  A submerged pinnacle in the area may have also contributed to the disaster. Lost were skipper Blake Kinnear (50), Jason Conlon (24), Mark Shane Hill (45), John McKerley (39) and Aaron Miller-Moylan, all from Kodiak.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   57 10 N 170 15 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: Tonnage 172 Gross 127 Net, Length 79.9, Breadth 24.1, Depth 11.3, Built 1972 Mobile AL, ON 538018

Sources: 1. Unofficial Shipwreck List (Kodiak), 2. BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011), 3. U S Coast Guard Press Release #42-99 (March 18, 1999) “Coast Guard responding to capsized vessel near St. Paul”, 4. USCG MISLE Case # 954069

 

LISA JO (1997)     The 82 foot fishing vessel Lisa Jo grounded, rolled over and sank February 19, 1997 in Akun Bay, Akun Island.  The operator fell asleep precipitating the disaster.  There was only one person aboard and no loss of life.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   54 15 N 165 30 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: ON 511692

Sources: 1. U S C G Shipwreck List (1989-2004), 2. Michael Burwell Shipwreck List (2013)

 

LISTER (1922)     The 21 ton wooden gas screw Lister stranded and was lost at 3:00 a.m. Friday November 17, 1922.  The vessel departed Umnak Island November 16 with four crewmen aboard bound for Unalaska.  According to part owner and master of the Lister, F H Larsen of Unalaska, an incorrect compass put the vessel off course in the dark of night.  The vessel stranded about 10 miles south of “Cape Makushin” on Unalaska Island.  The crew escaped to safety, but the Lister, valued at $4,000 was estimated to be a total loss.  She had no cargo save ballast and no insurance.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 45 30 N 167 01 20 W   Chart 16500

Comment: Probably Makushin Point.  There is a wreck marked on Chart 16500 outside of Skan Bay at about the right distance and direction from Makushin Point.  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 21 Gross 14 Net, Age 18 years, Registered Unalaska, ON 201174, Owner Henry Swanson of Unalaska

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty December 20, 1922 by Larsen

LOCKS (1964)     The 43 ton 58 foot wooden oil screw fishing vessel Locks collided with the vessel Fern and was lost September 13, 1964 at Unalaska.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 52 30 N 166 32 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: Tonnage 43 Gross 29 Net, Length 58.7, Breadth 15.3, Depth 7.1, Built 1917 at Tacoma WA, Former Name Lion, Horsepower 190, SL WA7275, Owner Donald T Cook, Registered Seattle, ON 214731

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1965) Pg 391, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1968) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 1170

 

LONGLINER (1983)     The crab fishing vessel Longliner flooded and sank April 28, 1983 seven miles northwest of Cape Ideluk in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   52 08 30 N 173 31 45 W   Chart 16480

Comment: Probably Cape Idalug on Amlia Island.  WG

Source: BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011)

 

LORVON (1998)     The 50 foot longline halibut fishing vessel Lorvon experienced a structural failure of the bow in heavy seas, flooded and sank May 16, 1998 on the northeast side of Umnak Island two miles east of Cape Tanak.  All three crewmembers abandoned ship to a life raft and were rescued by the fishing vessel Heritage.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 33 50 N 168 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: ON 246318, Year Built 1944

Sources: 1. U S C G Shipwreck List (1989-2004), 2. Michael Burwell Shipwreck List (2013)

 

LOU-ANN-MARIE (1996)     The 32 foot fishing vessel Lou-Ann-Marie burned and sank August 9, 1996 approximately 120 nautical miles northwest of Dutch Harbor.  All three crewmembers were rescued.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 54 N 166 31 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: ON 685380

Sources: 1. U S C G Shipwreck List (1989-2004), 2. Michael Burwell Shipwreck List (2013)

 

LOUIS WALSH (1902)     The 1433 ton ship Louis Walsh broke loose from her moorings in a gale and wrecked near Dutch Harbor in 1902.  The ship was washed ashore on the Dutch Harbor spit where she sat high and dry.  The hull was stripped and eventually broke up.  The Louis Walsh was built in Bath, Maine in 1861.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 54 N 166 31 W   Chart 16529

Sources: 1. The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 94, 2. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)

LOUISE (1991)     The 86 foot fishing vessel Louise sank in rough weather near Dutch Harbor November 7, 1991.  Four crewmembers were rescued and one was lost.

Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska   53 54 N 166 31 W   Chart 16011

Additional Information: CG035337

Sources: 1. U S C G Shipwreck List (1989-2004), 2. Michael Burwell Shipwreck List (2013)