The fateful day of December 1, 1977, marked the sinking of this Coast Guard boat during a violent storm. It was en route from Oswego to Niagara when it sank just east of Nine Mile Point, offshore of the town Ontario-on-the-Lake. The boat battled 6-foot waves and winds gusting at 50 mph as it approached Nine Mile Point on that ill-fated journey.
The boat, which had been converted into a landing craft with an open deck, started taking in massive amounts of water over the gunwale. The three-man crew worked desperately to pump out the water, but they couldn’t keep up with the fast-approaching waves. In a desperate bid for help, the crew contacted the Charlotte Coast Guard station and called a motor lifeboat to the scene. By the time the lifeboat reached them, the 50-ton cable boat was already leaning to the portside. The crew was rescued, but their attempts to tow the boat were thwarted by a powerful wave, ultimately causing the boat to sink.
What makes this shipwreck particularly intriguing is the way it came to rest on the lakebed. As mentioned earlier, the Coast Guard vessel remained upright on its stern when it sank. Over the years, 12 feet of the boat slowly sank into the bottom, while Lake Ontario’s currents created an 8-foot crater around the vessel, causing it to lean at that distinct 45-degree angle. Today, the boat is completely covered with zebra mussels, some places with over 2 inches thick, and it’s a known gathering spot for lake bass
The shipwreck’s precise location is 1 1/8 mile north of Ontario-on-the-Lake and 2 3/4 miles northwest from the Bear Creek launch point. The depth of water at the wreck site is approximately 70 feet, and its GPS coordinates are Latitude: 43° 17’48.0012″ N / Longitude: -77° 19’32.8188″ W.
- Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario – Jim Kennerd ISBN 0940741024, 9780940741027
- Oswego County Today Aug 3 2010
- Great Lakes Boating Jan 2021 Website
