The storm, named after the steamship Mataafa, ended up destroying or damaging about 29 vessels, killing 36 seamen, and causing shipping losses of US$ 3.567 million (1905 dollars) on Lake Superior.

Five-minute winds reached 68 mph (109 km/h) at Duluth during the early morning of November 28, before dropping below gale force by noon.

[7] At five o'clock in the afternoon on November 27, 1905, the bulk carrier SS Mataafa was on her way out of Duluth, loaded with iron ore and towing the barge James Nasmyth.

As she approached the port, it became clear that it was useless to try to bring both steamer and barge through the narrow Duluth Ship Canal into the harbor, so the Captain Humble gave the order to cut James Nasmyth loose.

Her rudder tore off and the water pulled her prow out toward the open lake, then smashed her stern against the south pier.

On the morning of Monday, November 27, the steamer 'Joseph G. Butler, Jr. passed Detour Reef Light and entered the Saint Marys River.

By dusk, the lookouts could barely make out the light at Whitefish Point as they cleared the bay into the body of Lake Superior.

Late that day, the storm began to abate, and when the captain could once again see across the lake, the light at Outer Island in the Apostles was spotted.

James Nasmyth was anchored out from Minnesota Point, sitting low in the water with a load of iron ore and a thick coating of ice.

It was noon as Butler steamed through the canal into St. Louis Bay, sighting R. W. England lying beached on the backside of Minnesota Point, a victim of the high winds the day before.

[15] The Mataafa storm also spawned Vincent v. Erie, a case which has remained a staple of first year torts classes