Walter L. Frost (shipwreck)

Walter L. Frost was a wooden steamer ship that operated on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Constructed in 1883 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, the ship met its end in 1903 after running aground on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan during dense fog. The wreck is a popular dive site within the Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve.

Construction and early service
The Walter L. Frost was built in 1883 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company and named after Walter L. Frost, an executive associated with the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad Company and later the Rutland Transit Company. The vessel primarily transported corn and other goods between ports on the Great Lakes.

Final voyage
On November 4, 1903, the Walter L. Frost departed Manistique, Michigan, loaded with corn and heading for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Encountering a dense fog bank near South Manitou Island, the ship's crew became disoriented and the vessel ran aground on the island's rocky shore.

Shipwreck and aftermath
The crew managed to escape to the island without loss of life, but the ship itself was beyond saving. Battered by waves and ice, the hull broke apart and the Walter L. Frost was eventually lost.

Wreck site and diving
The remains of the Walter L. Frost lie in relatively shallow water off the coast of South Manitou Island at depths ranging from 10 to 40 ft. The wreck is mostly scattered, but divers can still explore remnants of the hull, the boilers, and the steam engine. The site is popular for its historical significance and the opportunity it provides to experience a piece of Great Lakes maritime history firsthand.