Under the Waves

Andrew's back! And we're continuing our White Blizzard of 1913 series with talking about the SS Searchlight - the ship that sank in 1907 only to be brought up again during the crazy November gale in 1913. Learn about the crazy disappearance of this fishing tug, the mysteries behind it, and one very important announcement at the end of the episode that you're not going to want to miss out on. Anchors away!

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It's November! Welcome to the season of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the November Gales that took her down. But before her was the White Hurricane of 1913 and wow what a doozy that was. Tune in to find out what happened when not one but two storms collided over Lake Huron one fateful day in November of 1913 and the havoc that was wrought in the Great Lakes basin. Oh, and you're not gonna want to miss this start to a brand new series on the worst natural disaster to hit the Great Lakes and the anywhere from 12-19 ships it...

It's the last sssssppppppooooookkkkyyyyyy episode of the month and we're bringing a ghost and a shipwreck! Or is it a ghost? Or is it a shipwreck? What even is reality? Tune into find out more about the sinking of the New Connecticut in Lake Erie in 1833 and the wild tale that goes along with it. Do you believe in ghosts?

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Welcome to our first true crime episode! It's spooky season still and we're continuing on a trend of dark stories but this one takes a particularly twisted turn with some true crime involving North Fox Island off the Leelanau Peninsula and part of the Beaver Island Archipelago. We're talking about the slime bag that was Francis "Frank" Duffield Shelden and the Brother Paul's Children's Mission - "one of the most disturbing child exploitation cases in Michigan history." If this isn't your cup of tea...

It's a solo Captain Michelle episode today and to quote the great Geo Rutherford, um, yes hello, it's spooky lake month! Welcome to October and with it comes all of the spookies, the ponderings, the alleged-ness of the Lakes (not that we don't do that normally), but we're spreading it on extra thick this month and today we're bringing you the Lake Michigan Sea Serpent. Friend or foe? Relation to South Bay Bessie? Was/is this something you should be concerned about or is the Lake Ness monster just a passing fad chalked up to an escape seal... or...

This week's episode is a bit rough as Andrew and Michelle cover potentially the worst wreck in Georgian Bay and perhaps Lake Huron itself - the SS Asia. The kicker? Sources then and sources today still can't agree on all of the facts about this wreck that has eluded shipwreck hunters for 144 years. And hey, if you don't like dark stories, we get it and we'll catch you next time!

Remember the island that was divided up between Ohio and Michigan? Yeah, Michelle and Andrew are talking about it, the lore behind it's name, and of course, it's lighthouse - the Turtle Island Light. Tune in for a crazy time in history full of wars, treaties, broken promises, shrinking lands, and just missing good old fashioned horse sense!

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Andrew's back and the sibling duo is talking about two ships who mysteriously did not just pass in the night but decided to collide into one another all of the way back in 1878 - the St. Andrews and the Peshtigo. While it may not be a very long story, it was a misidentified shipwreck for quite a while. Climb aboard to learn more and welcome back to our long-awaited co-host!

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Michelle is joined by a special guest today - her favorite dad - as they talk about Beaver Island. What does this tiny island off the coast of northern Michigan so unique? What's it's connection to Ireland? Prohibition and whiskey? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aka Mormons? And most of all, what's this about the only king to have ever underwent an official royal coronation ceremony on American soil? Tune in to find out in this wild and crazy episode!

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It's Episode 100, y'all! Everybody remain calm! What an exciting time to be alive! Michelle and Andrew were supposed to discuss the Toledo War but much like the outcome of the war itself, Michelle may or may not have taken care of the competition and is doing the episode solo. But come learn more about the war between Ohio and Michigan dating all of the way back to the early 1800s and bleeding into today with the rivalry between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. Did anyone die? How many people were injured? And what does anything have to...

Hey, y'all! It's Michelle! I'm flying solo for today and I've been left alone to my own devices and this time, with a camera late at night. No wait, that sounds wrong. I'm only answering some questions so calm down!

Tune in as I share things we'd do differently, mistakes we've made, favorite wrecks, behind-the-scenes stories, random thoughts, and maybe some tea along the way. ☕️

We know this isn't quite the 100th Episode you were expecting. Neither were we. A few life storms came rolling in and had us battening down the hatches, pulling into a sh...

Michelle + Andrew are finally talking about turret decked ships! More specifically, the Turret Chief. Or was it the Salvor? Maybe the Jolly Inez? The Vickerstown? Are you writing these down? Whichever name she happened to be going by at the time, come learn about this wild looking ship along with her crazy life traveling the world. And we mean world!

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Join hosts Michelle + Andrew as they talk about one of the most endangered lighthouses in the world: the Waugoshance Light. This lighthouse was the first crib light to be built on the Great Lakes, is one of the few remaining bird cage lanterns still in existence, and what does she have to do again with bombing in WWII? Tune in today to find out more about Old Wobbleshank's wild past!

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Did you know that the Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE) announced the finding of a missing barquentine earlier this year? Yeah, neither did we. But Michelle and Andrew are now making up for lost time talking about the no longer missing Clough and a bit about the man who spent his last dive finding and identifying her: David VanZandt, co-founder of CLUE (1953-2024).

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Michelle and Andrew talk all about a ship that sank less than two months after she was launched - the SS Cyprus. The kicker? It wasn't even that bad of a storm. Tune in to find out more about what might've took this new and mighty ship and all but one crew member down into the merciless waters of Lake Superior.

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It's an unhinged late night episode! Michelle and Andrew are talking about the largest missing ship in the Great Lakes currently - the SS D. M. Clemson. This ship is eerily similar to the Edmund Fitzgerald except predating her by 67 years. Everything Gordon Lightfoot sang about could and might've happened to the Clemson. However we still don't know. Tune in to find out more about this wild ship and crazy life she had leading up to her disappearance! (Also, excuse Michelle's audio. Our technical team is on it!)

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Hold onto your butts or hats or minds as this week brings about a tangent-lover's dream with everything from the first steamship on Lake Superior (the SS Independence) to Tom Sawyer's shipwreck (ironically the SS Independence) to the evolution of propellers to the Washington Monument and probably literally everything else in-between. Andrew leaves you on a cliff-hanger and Michelle talks about the practically wild animals she was able to befriend. And somehow, someway, bananas make an appearance?? Grab your notepad in order to keep track and get ready for an episode you won't soon want to miss!

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It's another review day! Andrew and Michelle are checking bad reviews for boat tour companies. Join in for the laughs and stay for the one star, do not recommends.

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Michelle is joined by a very special guest today, her mom! Tune in as they talk about not only one of the most photographed spots in Ohio but the oldest operational lighthouse on the American side of the Great Lakes - Marblehead Lighthouse. You're in for a treat learning about this little lighthouse along with all of its twists and also, who knew Ohio was real?! Thank you so much, Maumee, for joining this episode!

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Join Andrew and Michelle today as they talk about a boat's second chance becoming her last with one of the wildest wreck photos you might ever lay eyes on! We're talking about the SS George M. Cox formerly known as the SS Puritan. Learn what not to do when you're taking your newly renovated cruise ship out on surprisingly calm waters in Lake Superior for her first trip of the season. Anchors away!

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Its part two of the SS Eastland and the story only gets weirder. Andrew and Michelle thought the surprises this ship had were covered in the first episode but boy howdy were they wrong. Tune in to find out about the second life the Eastland takes on after being salvaged and turned into a naval training vessel - the USS Wilmette. And what does she have to do with a German U-boat?!

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Andrew and Michelle are tackling the deadliest shipwreck that caused the highest loss of life on the Great Lakes: the SS Eastland. While it's a doozy, it's a good story to remember and not let history forget about. Learn all about the twists and turns that led up to the fateful day in 1915 when the Western Electric company chartered the Eastland to help ferry over 2,500 of their employees for a fun day of picnicking. What started off as a celebratory morning quickly turned into a nightmare. Come learn about the coulda, woulda, shoulda's that might've made the whole thing...

It's a short story this week but it's highlighted, surrounded by, and woven throughout with TRIPLE EXPANSION STEAM ENGINES! Be prepared to get your fix while learning all about the SS Norman and her untimely demise as well as a few bonus ships Andrew got to visit on his recent trip to San Francisco. Welcome aboard!

Learn more about + Donate towards the SS Jeremiah O'Brien Andrew was talking about in the intro here

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This week's episode has it all - cross-Atlantic travels, WWII, jukeboxes, and a ship that spent more of her life under water than above it. Michelle and Andrew are talking about the MV Prins Willem V aka "Willie" today and boy howdy, is this an interesting, albeit shorter tale. Learn along with Andrew about the color orange, carrots, consonants, and Roman numerals. We might even through in a few numbers. Consider yourself warned for this wild ride of an episode, so strap in and hang on!

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It's another Dinghy and we're goofing all of the way over to the west coast! Michelle is joined by a special stowaway - Katie Jensen - to talk about the Heceta Head Light and the Tillamook Rock Light located on the beautiful coast of Oregon. We hope you packed your raincoats and EMF readers because things might get a bit damp and definitely spooooooky. And no, it's not just our audio that can be a bit eerie. We are aware that one of our new mics sounds like a tennis ball being bounced around minute 18. Our audio tech person...

Andrew and Michelle are back and they're talking about potentially the oldest paddle wheeler steamboat shipwreck in Lake Erie - the PS Anthony Wayne. Tune in to find out the significance of this wreck from an out-of-state research team, along with the tragedy surrounding her the night she fatefully went down. As fascinating as the Wayne is, this episode is a bit of a bummer so consider this your trigger warning. But welcome aboard this week's episode - we're glad you're here :)

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Andrew and Michelle are back in Canada (unfortunately for Michelle - sorry, Canada)! This time they are talking about the SS J.H. Jones. This ship was found literally the day after the SS Manasoo was found by Ken Merryman, Jerry Eliason, and Cris Kohl along with a special guest star: the great-grandson of the captain who went down with the ship. Learn all about the Jones and what an impact she made on Wiarton, Ontario in this week's episode. Also, we had some technical difficulties regarding Andrew's sound. We realize it sounds wonky, are already on it, and...

Join Michelle and Andrew as they hang out in Canada! Well, more specifically, Georgian Bay, as they talk about the SS Manasoo. Following a profitable 1928 season, the Manasoo took on one last special commission: transporting more than a hundred head of cattle from Manitoulin Island back to Owen Sound, but Mother Nature had other plans. Learn all about this final trip as well as the speculations that swirled around the steamship afterward. Plus, find out what the cool artifact is that sets this ship apart from most every if not all of the other wrecks in the Great Lakes...

Andrew and Michelle are back and it's a short episode. Short, sweet, but to the point. Join them as they cover the SS Fedora and bring back the one, the only, TRIPLE EXPANSION STEAM ENGINES!!! Wowee! Learn all about this composite bulk freighter who despite her decently long life, had very little to tell about it. What she lacked in life, she made up for on her final journey through Lake Superior. Learn all about the Fedora by tuning in. Cheers!

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Welcome back to regular episodes. Today, Andrew and Michelle are talking about a ship that probably has one of the worst cases of mishaps we've ever covered on the pod - the SS Russia. Tune in to find out all that this half iron, half wooden ship went through in her life before being rediscovered over a hundred years after she went down. Anchors away!

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It's another Dinghy and you know what that means - we're here to let loose! And today is about all things Midwest and both sides of the Great Lakes on Reddit. Join in on the fun, lose a few brain cells along with Andrew and Michelle, and hey, as the saying goes, "Ope before Sorry except after Geez." Welp, that's it for now! Welcome aboard :)

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Andrew and Michelle cover the recently released, newly found, fresh off the press SS Lac La Belle. Learn all about this exciting steamship found almost 150 years to the day after she sank by Paul Ehorn and Bruce Bittner. Learn all about the newest shipwreck on the block!

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Happy 80th Episode! To celebrate we're bringing out all of the bad pronunciations and making both you and Michelle suffer through talking about a ship that changed names more than the Great Lakes change weather. We're discussing La Grande Hermine. So buckle up, buttercup, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

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It's the end of Black History Month and we barely are making it in talking about the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse aka the Freedom Light along with the crazy wild tale of the Crosswhite family and Marshall, Michigan. Step into history and the bravery of those on the Underground Railroad!

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Michelle and Andrew cover a doozy of an episode talking about the T.T. Morford. This neat little tugboat spent her nine lives in and around Chicago but not without her fair share of tragedies. The Morford got to be the hero in many stories as well. Consider yourself warned and welcome aboard!

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Join Andrew and Michelle as they discuss the only five-masted schooner (barquentine? but who's keeping track) to ever grace the Great Lakes - the David Dows. This behemoth of a ship made quite a name for herself during her day, setting load and speed records, making other ships look like mere bath toys. Tune in to learn what made the Dows so special, what earned her so many unfortunate titles, and what ultimately was her downfall.

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It's all things ice over here (the non-toxic kind, except a few of the ships we cover might think otherwise) and Andrew and Michelle invite you along for the ride. Join them as they talk about an episode eerily similar to last week's story. See if you can spot the differences before Michelle makes them obvious in her retelling of the tale of the SS John V. Moran. Be sure to pack your ice picks and lots of extra salt. Welcome aboard!

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What does hubris, slush, and the first millionaire in Detroit have in common? Why, the SS Eber Ward, of course! Still unsure of of the connection? Tune in to today's episode where Andrew and Michelle cover the life of not only the Eber Ward the ship, but also the man she was named after, and his uncle, and perhaps a few other characters along the way. Anchors away!

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Join hosts Michelle and Andrew as they talk about a series of unfortunate events that happened on November 17, 1879. What started as an unassuming night quickly turned into chaos that took the lives of 6 people and sank at least three ships - tug A.O. Thayer, tug Philip Becker, and the dredge Gordon, as well as quite possibly a few scows. Tune in to learn more about this Lake Ontario tragedy. Anchors away!

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First actual recorded episode in 2026 and hosts Andrew + Michelle are a tad rusty. Bear with them as they cover the SS M.M. Drake along with a few ships she encountered along the way such as the Michigan, the Dot, the Smith Moore, the Pilot, and the Hallaran. Whether or not you believe the Drake was good or bad luck, the hero or the villain, we'll let you decide. Welcome aboard!

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