Identification & Site Information

• Name: Dragon
• Other Names: None officially recorded (local attribution only)
• Vessel Type: Wooden Tugboat / Towboat
• Build Year: 1866
• Builder: Van Slyke & Notter
• Place Built: Buffalo, New York
• Dimensions: Length: 62.6 feet (18 metres) Beam: 14.7 feet (4.5 metres) Depth: 6 feet (1.8 metres)
• Registry Number: US 6103
• Original Owners: Christian of Erie, Pennsylvania (initial), multiple ownership changes throughout its service life
• Final Location: Mosquito Bay, North Channel, Lake Huron
• Coordinates: Approx. 46° 00′ N, 82° 00′ W
• Depth at Wreck: 0.5 to 4.5 metres (2 to 15 feet)

Vessel Type

Wooden Tugboat / Towboat

The Dragon was a typical mid-19th century Great Lakes Tugboat, designed to assist larger vessels such as barges and schooners through harbours, narrow passages, and busy shipping lanes. Tugboats like the Dragon were small but essential workhorses, built to endure the harsh conditions of the Great Lakes. They were often modified throughout their service lives to adapt to new roles, new machinery, and evolving port needs.

Description

The Dragon’s operational history spans nearly five decades, involving a series of incidents that highlight just how demanding Great Lakes service was. Built in 1866 at Buffalo, NY, the Dragon saw:

• 1867 Fire at Buffalo — significant damage but salvaged and repaired.
• 1869 Grounding at Bird Island Reef — freed and returned to service.
• 1869 Collision with Bark Ogarita — 2 lives lost.
• 1869 Sinking at Windmill Point (Lake Erie) — raised and repaired.
• 1872 Ice Damage — holed bow during winter service.
• 1881 Dock Sinking in Cleveland — raised and restored again.
• 1913 Sold to a Canadian owner, with records ending shortly thereafter.

Final Fate
The exact circumstances of the Dragon’s final sinking are uncertain. Oral history and diver reports place her against the rocky shore in Mosquito Bay, where she now rests in less than 15 feet of water, heavily broken up but identifiable by her size, shape, and fittings like the propeller and rudder.

Historical Uncertainty

⚠️ Important Note:
The identity of this wreck as the Dragon is speculative, based on oral history passed among local divers and historical inference drawn from Bowling Green State University’s vessel registry.

The wreck’s dimensions, construction style, and location fit the profile of the Dragon, but direct confirmation through physical evidence (like a builder’s plate or stamped component) has not yet occurred. This site represents a strong working identification, but further investigation (such as re-measuring key dimensions or archival research into final sale records) would help confirm this identification conclusively.

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss: Unknown (presumed abandonment or accidental sinking after her final working years).
• Condition: Heavily broken up, with the bottom ribs of the Hull visible in less than 2 feet of water, while the propeller and rudder lie in approximately 15 feet (4.5 metres).
• Accessibility: Suitable for both snorkelling and shallow scuba diving.

Located By & Date Found

• Local Divers / Oral History: Reported for decades by North Channel diving community, particularly those anchoring overnight in Mosquito Bay.
• Formal Discovery: No official archaeological survey or documented formal discovery process currently exists for this wreck.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck is very shallow, making it an excellent novice dive or snorkel site. The wreckage is heavily scattered and fragmented, but several structural features, including the propeller and rudder, remain intact. The crib-like ribs of the wooden Hull can be observed very close to shore, making it a shore-accessible site.

• Maximum Depth: 15 feet (4.5 metres)
• Minimum Depth: 2 feet (0.5 metres)
• Water Type: Freshwater
• Visibility: Generally good, but can be reduced by algae bloom or sediment disturbance
• Hazards: Minimal — site is well protected from north or east winds.
• Experience Rating: ✅ Novice (Snorkel/Scuba)

Directions to Site

1. Launch from Spanish Marina.
2. Travel through Little Detroit Passage heading west.
3. Enter Mosquito Bay, located at the northeast entrance to Wabuno Channel.
4. Facing north in the bay, locate the northwest shoreline — the wreck lies immediately along the shore.

Anchoring Note: If anchoring, avoid direct contact with wreckage and ensure a dive flag is displayed.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No active NOTMARs currently apply to this wreck site.
• Due to its shallow depth and proximity to shore, this site sees occasional small boat traffic, especially from paddlers and anglers. Dive flags are essential.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Great Lakes Vessels Database – Bowling Green State University
• Save Ontario Shipwrecks – North Channel

Conclusion

The Dragon represents the resilient workhorses that built the Great Lakes economy, surviving repeated collisions, groundings, ice damage, and fires — only to end up in Mosquito Bay, where its final chapter plays out as part of Ontario’s underwater heritage.

For both historians and recreational divers, the site offers an accessible, historically intriguing dive, made all the more fascinating by the ongoing uncertainty surrounding its true identity. Every diver exploring this wreck contributes to solving its final mystery.

Keywords & Categories

Dragon, Tugboat, Towboat, Mosquito Bay, North Channel, Lake Huron, Great Lakes Shipwreck, Wooden Tug, Maritime History, Historical Dive Sites, Shore Dive, Snorkel-Friendly, Ontario Shipwrecks