In 1882, the round-sterned schooner Enterprise of Port Hope embarked on what would be its final voyage. This Enterprise, known for its unique round stern, was distinguished from another schooner of the same name that had the more common square transom stern. Built in 1855 by Wm. Manson in Port Hope, the Enterprise measured 90 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 8 feet 8 inches deep in the hold. Her registered tonnage fluctuated over the years, from 118 tonsin 1864 to 91 tons in her final records, reflecting the flexibility of tonnage descriptions over time.
The schooner played a key role in the barley trade between Prince Edward County and Oswego, a booming business at the time. Barley from Prince Edward combined with New York water to supply Oswego breweries. Every fall, schooners like the Enterprise made money ferrying the season’s harvest across Lake Ontario, sometimes earning as much as $400 per cargo. With such profitable rates, vessels often sailed back empty to capitalize on another load of barley, disregarding less lucrative return cargoes like coal.
Final Voyage #
In November 1882, the Enterprise, under the command of Captain Daniel O’Hagan and accompanied by First Mate Edward Rorke, set sail from Oswego for West Point near Wellington, Prince Edward County, to load barley. The ship departed on the morning of November 23 with a favorable wind, but the weather turned treacherous as they approached the perilous coast of Prince Edward County, known for fall gales and its lack of safe harbors.
The Enterprise made it to McDonald and Hyatt’s Wharf in Little Sandy Bay by 4 PM, and the crew immediately began loading barley into the forward hatch. As night fell, the wind shifted, and the conditions worsened. By 8:30 PM, the schooner was already down by the head, with most of the cargo concentrated in the front, making her unable to respond to the helm or rise to incoming waves.
The crew attempted to trim the grain and distribute it evenly, but as the wind increased to gale force from the southwest, the Enterprise was battered by waves, straining against the lines holding her to the wharf. By 11 PM, the lines snapped, leaving the schooner anchored but at the mercy of the storm. The crew, fearing the ship would be driven ashore, abandoned the vessel in their yawl boat.
The Enterprise held on to her anchor until the early morning hours of November 24, when she dragged ashore on the rocks, becoming a total wreck.
Reflection on the Disaster #
Captain O’Hagan later signed a marine protest, stating that their only chance of saving the schooner was to hold on to the anchor and lines as long as possible. However, some have speculated that alternative actions, such as scuttling the vessel or securing an anchor to the wharf, might have saved the ship. Regardless, the Enterprise broke up on the rocks, marking the end of her service.
Historical Legacy and Anchor Salvage #
Years later, in the summer of 1942, a 200-pound anchor believed to have belonged to the Enterprise was discovered off the shores of Lakeland, a Prince Edward County resort. The discovery was made by Miss Marjorie Orrell of Ottawa, and the anchor was recovered by Earl Checkley. The anchor is thought to be the kedge, or smaller anchor, used by the Enterprise when it was loading at McDonald and Hyatt’s Wharf.
Willis Metcalfe, a historian from Point Traverse, played a key role in identifying the anchor and linking it to the Enterprise. He noted that Amos McDonald, a former warden of Prince Edward County, confirmed its origin, and the kedge anchor was eventually placed on the lawn of Lakeland as a memorial to the Enterprise and the county’s historic grain trade.
Conclusion #
The loss of the Enterprise highlights the challenges and dangers faced by schooners operating on Lake Ontario during the late 19th century. The vessel’s end serves as a reminder of the volatile weather conditions and the risky nature of the barley trade, which, while profitable, could lead to disaster when ships encountered gales along Prince Edward County’s exposed coast.
The story of the Enterprise, now memorialized through the recovered anchor, continues to evoke the perilous yet vital role that schooners played in the region’s economic development
