SHIPWRECK REPORT: Olga

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Name: Olga

• Type: Wooden-Hulled Schooner

• Official Number: 155029

• Year Built: 1881

• Builder: Rand & Burger, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

• Final Location: Near Goderich, Ontario, Lake Huron

• Date of Incident: December 2, 1905

CONSTRUCTION & SPECIFICATIONS

• Length: 137 feet (41.8 meters)

• Beam: 30.4 feet (9.3 meters)

• Depth: 10 feet (3 meters)

• Gross Tonnage: 308 tons

• Net Tonnage: 292 tons

• Cargo Capacity: Approximately 300 tons

• Sister Ship: Alice

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The Olga was a wooden Schooner, a versatile type of sailing vessel designed for cargo transport. Schooners were known for their agility and suitability for Great Lakes navigation, relying on Fore-and-Aft Sails for maneuverability in changing wind conditions.

HISTORY

The Olga was launched in May 1881 and originally owned by Captain William Johnson of Chicago. The vessel saw decades of service, transporting goods across the Great Lakes and, later, to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Early Ownership: By 1900, the Olga was owned by Hook & W.H. Turner of Beaumont, Texas, and had been moved to the Gulf of Mexico via the St. Lawrence River—a rare journey for a Great Lakes Schooner.

• Notable Incidents:

• May 25, 1905: Collided with steamers Saunders and Clarion in the St. Clair River near Sarnia, Ontario. The vessel sank but was later refloated and repaired.

• October 21, 1905: Stranded at Pictured Rocks in Lake Superior.

These incidents foreshadowed the Schooner’s eventual demise later that year.

FINAL DISPOSITION

On November 26, 1905, the Olga was being towed by the Steamer F.A. Meyers when it broke loose during a storm. The crew was rescued by the Steamer Maunaloa, leaving the vessel adrift.

• Over the next several days, the Olga drifted across Lake Huron before coming ashore near Goderich, Ontario.

• On December 2, 1905, the pounding waves and rough conditions caused the vessel to break apart, marking the end of its operational life.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

• Condition: The Olga was destroyed by the storm and broken apart. No significant wreckage is reported to remain, as the vessel disintegrated along the shoreline.

• Accessibility: Not applicable due to the lack of intact remains.

SIGNIFICANCE

The Olga serves as a testament to the resilience and risks faced by wooden schooners in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its repeated mishaps and final loss highlight the challenges of navigating the Great Lakes, particularly during storm seasons.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: View Records

• David Swayze Shipwreck File: Comprehensive details on Great Lakes shipwrecks, including the Olga.

• C. Patrick Labadie Collection: Historical archives related to schooners and other Great Lakes vessels.

KEYWORDS

Olga, Schooner, Lake Huron shipwreck, 1905 maritime disaster, Great Lakes schooners, Goderich wreck

CONCLUSION

The loss of the Olga is a stark reminder of the perils faced by schooners operating on the Great Lakes. Despite its relatively long service life, the vessel’s final voyage and destruction underscore the dangers inherent to early 20th-century maritime trade and the ever-present challenges of navigating the region’s unpredictable waters.