The schooner ARIEL, built in 1862 in Owen Sound, was a wooden vessel with a length of 60.9 feet, a beam of 13.6 feet, and a depth of 6.1 feet. It had a net tonnage of 41 tons and was initially owned by W. J. Johnson in Owen Sound. The ARIEL had two masts and primarily operated as a cargo vessel.
The vessel encountered several incidents during its existence. In August 1860, it was burned in New Baltimore, Michigan, due to arson. Then, on March 31, 1868, it burned again in Detroit. Following the second fire, it was rebuilt as a schooner in Detroit and subsequently sold to a Canadian owner.
On November 5, 1869, the ARIEL ran aground near Collingwood Harbor during a blinding snowstorm. It was reported to be in a foot of water, but it was expected to be salvaged without significant damage. However, on November 12, 1870, the ARIEL again faced misfortune when it went aground near the lighthouse in Collingwood during a storm. The vessel, carrying a cargo of 2,700 bushels of barley, became a total wreck. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, and the crew was able to escape. It was noted that the ARIEL broke up the day after stranding.
The ARIEL had a turbulent history, with multiple incidents of fires and the final navigational error that led to its loss near Collingwood.
