The Christmas Ship

Another freezing cold day. My car registered -1 degree F when we left this morning, and that's without the wind chill!
This anchor dates from the mid 1800's & is from an old Schooner that sailed the Great Lakes Region. It's almost identical to the anchor that was brought up from the "Rouse Simmons" & that one rests only a few miles from this one. The "Rouse Simmons",  a 3 masted schooner built in 1868 for use on the Great Lakes, went missing in 1912 during a terrible storm, & it's fate was unknown for almost 60 years. It was known as "The Christmas Ship" and it's beloved Captain was known as "Captain Santa". Because of the influx of German immigrants to this area in the late 1800's and early 1900's, it was a time when many families embraced the new idea of having a  Christmas tree in their homes, so there was a large demand for them.  The Christmas Ship  would make the late-in-the-year trip across Lake Michigan up to northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan to collect trees, delivering them to Milwaukee and Chicago before the winter storms and ice appeared and shipping had to stop for the winter. Captain Santa was on his way to Chicago when the ship and crew disappeared.
 In 1971 a diver happened on the shipwreck that rested in 172 feet of water just off the city of Two Rivers, Wisconsin. It was sitting upright on the bottom of the Lake, and the trunks of the Christmas trees could still be seen laying on the deck. A childrens' book was written about it, and there was a documentary made about it as well. Some of you may recall my blipping the Great Lakes Coast Guard Ship--"The Mackinaw"--not that long ago. Each year in early December, the Mackinaw makes the trip from Upper Michigan/Northern Wisconsin down to Chicago, carrying a small load of Christmas Trees to Chicago to give out for free to those who can't afford them. It's done in honor of Captain Scheunneman (aka Captain Santa) & his crew. 
I put a few pictures into the extras again today--some ice on the Lake, and a poor injured goose off by itself. Not sure what happened to it-- might have been in a fight? For those of you in the cold areas, bundle up and try to stay warm! :))