N. A. Hammer
master
, began
on Thursday, 23 October 1884, when she cleared Escanaba, carrying
575 tons of pig iron and bound for Chicago. Like thousands
of other Great Lakes vessels, the Nilsson fell victim
to overwhelming natural forces.
Sailing
the Great Lakes has long been considered as hazardous as
sailing the ocean--or
even more so. The ever-present nearby shores leave little
room to "run" before a storm. Waves tend to be be closer
together, making them steeper on the lakes than on the ocean. And storms on the lake are renowned for their seemingly instantaneous
development.
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