1929 — Sep 9, Steamer Andaste sinks in Lake Michigan storm 14m W off Holland, MI– 25

— 25 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 234.
— 25 Ewing. Directory, Historical Topics, Northwest Ottawa County. 1999.
— 25 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. “Today in Great Lakes History – [Sep] 09.”
— 25 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 698.
— 25 News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Seek Causes of Wisconsin Loss….” 10-30-1929, 6.
— 25 Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter A.
— 25 Thompson. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2006, p. 26.
— 25 U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report of…[FY] ending June 30, 1930, p. 3.

Narrative Information

Ewing: “…in 1929 the propeller-driven ship Andaste was lost for unknown reasons en route with a load of gravel from Grand Haven to Chicago. Possibly because of overloading, the 246 foot vessel sank 14 miles off Holland on September 9, with the loss of all 25 aboard….” (Ewing 1999)

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On 9 September 1929, the ANDASTE (steel propeller self-unloading sandsucker, 247 foot, built in 1892, at Cleveland, Ohio) was probably overloaded with gravel when she “went missing” west of Holland, Michigan. The entire crew of 25 was lost. When built, she was the sister of the “semi-whaleback” CHOCTAW, but was shortened 20 feet in 1920-21, to allow her to use the Welland Canal.” ( “Report News.” “Today in Great Lakes History – September 09.”)

Swayze. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter A.
“Official no. : 106926
Type at loss : propeller, steel, self-unloading sandsucker
Build info : 1892, Cleveland Shipbuilding, Cleveland hull #16
Specs : 246x38x18, 1439gt 1121n*
Date of loss : 1929, Sep 9
Place of loss : ca. 14 mi W of Holland, MI
Lake : Michigan
Type of loss : went missing
Loss of life : 25 [all]
Carrying : gravel
Detail : Probably overloaded, she was lost from unknown causes. Bound Grand Haven, MI, for Chicago. She was owned by Andaste Steamship Co. When built, she was sister of “semi-whaleback” CHOCTAW, but had been shortened 20 ft. in 1920-1 to allow her to negotiate the Welland Canal.” (Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter A.)

Thompson: “On September 10, 1929, the semi-whaleback freighter Andaste was steaming to Chicago from its home port at Grand Haven, Michigan, with a load of stone when it got caught in a fall gale. Bodies and wreckage from the 247-foot workhorse began to drift ashore near Grand Haven several days later. Among the debris was a plank with a plaintive note scribbled on it: ‘Worst storm I have ever been in. Can’t stay up much longer. Hope to God we’re saved.’ It was signed with the initials ‘A.L.A.’ The Andaste’s captain was Albert L. Anderson. He and twenty-four crewmembers died with their ship.” (Thompson 2006, p. 26.)

United States Steamboat Inspection Service: “Last fall there were three major disasters on Lake Michigan. The first was the loss of the steamer Andaste, of 1,439 gross tons, on September 9, 1929, while en route from Grand Haven Mich., to Chicago, Ill., with a crew of 25 and a cargo of gravel.” (Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General Steamboat Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1930. 1930, p. 3.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Ewing, Wallace K. Directory, Historical Topics, Northwest Ottawa County. Grand Haven, MI: Tri-Cities Historical Museum, 1999. Accessed at: http://www.loutitlibrary.org/images/ewing_books/HISTtopics.htm#_Toc200804327

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. “Report News.” “Today in Great Lakes History – September 09.” Accessed 11-11-2020 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/9-04.htm

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Seek Causes of Wisconsin Loss; 9 Dead.” 10-30-1929, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=74053454

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter A. Accessed 9/8/2009 at: http://greatlakeshistory.homestead.com/files/a.htm

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lake. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004.

United States Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General Steamboat Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1930. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1930. Accessed 11-11-2020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015073345384&view=1up&seq=5&q1=andaste