The steamboat named UTICA encountered a shipwreck incident as follows:
- Acquisition and Purpose:
- Mr. Snow and other individuals acquired the UTICA, a small steamer, for use as a tugboat and for organizing pleasure excursions on the Genesee River and Lake Ontario.
- Voyage and Storm:
- The UTICA departed from Sackets Harbor, bound for its intended destination at the mouth of the Genesee River.
- While en route, a storm developed, prompting the captain to seek shelter in Oswego until daylight.
- Navigation Error:
- The captain of the UTICA, perhaps not well-acquainted with the light-house locations on the south shore, misidentified the Port Ontario Light as the Oswego Light.
- Believing they were headed for the Oswego harbor, the steamer was actually heading towards Port Ontario, located about 20 miles east of Oswego.
- Grounding:
- The UTICA, under the mistaken impression of approaching Oswego, headed towards Port Ontario’s harbor entrance.
- However, due to the differences in pier locations between the two harbors, the steamer ended up going aground near Port Ontario.
- Outcome:
- The UTICA ran aground almost high and dry in a position that left it stranded on the shore.
- Despite being grounded, there was hope of salvaging the vessel by removing some of its machinery.
- The incident occurred as a result of the navigational error and the unique characteristics of Port Ontario’s harbor entrance.
This incident illustrates the challenges of navigation and the importance of accurately identifying navigational markers, especially in adverse weather conditions.
