Lost Ship In The USA Is Re-Discovered After More Than A Century. Discover How The Adella Shores, Wrecked In 1909, Was Finally Found.
On Wednesday (1st), the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) announced the exciting re-discovery of the Adella Shores, a ship that mysteriously disappeared in the USA 115 years ago. With a history marked by tragedy, this ship sank with 14 crew members on board, remaining lost for over a century.
Lost Ship Adella Shores Weighed 735 Tons
The lost ship in the USA set off on its fateful journey from the vicinity of Whitefish Point, Michigan, in the Great Lakes on May 1, 1909. The ship, notorious for having sunk twice before and risen each time, was following another vessel that was charting a course through the icy waters of Lake Superior.
Loaded with salt, the ship struggled to keep pace in the severe conditions and ended up two miles behind, disappearing into the lake’s mist. The lost ship in the USA was found at a depth of 650 feet, just 40 miles from the shore where it was last seen.
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The Adella Shores, built in 1894 by the Shores Lumber Company, weighed 735 tons and was named after the owner’s daughter, Adella. Considered “cursed” due to previous incidents, the vessel was baptized with a bottle of water instead of the traditional champagne, as the family was fervently against alcohol.
Fast-forward to 2021, the mystery of the Adella Shores resurfaced. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, using advanced sonic technology, located the wreck about 40 miles northwest of Whitefish Point.
The discovery was kept secret until enough research verified the findings. According to a society member, emphasizing the thoroughness of their investigation, it was necessary to be absolutely certain.
Was The Lost Ship Adella Shores “Cursed”?

The folklore surrounding the lost ship in the USA speaks of a curse, brought on by the absence of a proper alcoholic baptism. Whether cursed or simply unlucky, the Adella Shores met its watery end on that fateful trip in 1909.
The legacy of the ship, combined with its enigmatic disappearance and the family’s unconventional choice of baptism, fuels the legend that continues to captivate maritime enthusiasts. Maritime traditions have evolved significantly over time. Ancient civilizations anointed their ships with sacred liquids, while the Vikings offered sacrifices to their gods.
“From people to goats, a significant shift,” historians comment on the subsequent transition of the Vikings to animal sacrifices after their conversion to Christianity. Until the 18th century, the smashing of a champagne bottle became the norm, marking the beginning of a festive send-off for a ship’s journey. Curiously, the Titanic, one of the most famous wrecks, also never had a baptism ceremony, further reinforcing the superstition in nautical folklore.
GLSHS Speaks On The Ship Adella Shores
According to Bruce E. Lynn, executive director of the GLSHS, he stated in an interview that shipwrecks in the Great Lakes were more common than one might expect. There are a variety of reasons for this, and the weather was often a crucial factor. The lakes create their own microclimates, and conditions can change very quickly.
The lost ship Adella Shores was spotted in 2021 thanks to the GLSHS’s side-scan sonar system. Lynn adds that weather reports were not as accurate as they are today, and ships like the Adella could find themselves caught in situations very quickly, from which they could not safely escape.
Poor visibility also caused problems, and ship collisions were not uncommon, as there were many more ships operating.

