Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Great Lakes Research Archive

Shipwreck References Directory

Shotline Diving – Reference Documentation

Reference Library & Source Directory

This section is Shotline’s central repository for the sources behind our shipwreck research, historical analysis, and dive site documentation. It’s built for divers, historians, researchers, and underwater archaeologists who want accurate, traceable information on Great Lakes wrecks — and the trail of evidence that supports each record.

How to use

Search by type, tag, region, or source — then follow links back into wreck records.

Browse the Directory Open Master Wreck Index

Reference Categories at a Glance

Shipwreck Records & Archives

  • Historical vessel registries — construction details, ownership, operational history.
  • Verified wreck listings — cross-referenced sources (MHGL, Great Lakes Ships/BGSU, Swayze, etc.).
  • Original logbooks & manifests — voyage, cargo, and crew records (where available).

Mapping & Survey Data

  • GIS & GPS coordinates — geolocation data formatted for mapping workflows.
  • Bathymetry, sonar & models — including 3D datasets where published.
  • Nautical charts & navigation aids — modern and historical context for routes and hazards.

Legal, Ethical & Best Practice

  • Protection laws & regulations — preservation frameworks and jurisdiction notes.
  • No-touch & ethical diving — responsible access and documentation standards.
  • Permits & research access — where required for specialist work or protected sites.

Research Materials & Media

  • Newspaper archives & reports — period accounts and incident coverage.
  • Technical dive documentation — site reports, conditions, and project logs.
  • Photography & video evidence — media showing site condition over time.

Access notes

The directory below is the live source list used across Shotline records. Some entries point to databases, some to PDFs, some to museum collections, and some to internal docs. Duplicates and variant spellings are being consolidated as we link sources directly to wreck pages.

Tip: If you’re researching a specific wreck, start with the wreck page, then jump here via its linked sources.

Contribute to the archive

Have logbooks, dive logs, photos, or first-hand accounts related to Great Lakes wrecks? Send copies with a short description, source, and any usage restrictions.

info@shotlinediving.com

Reference Directory

Browse the live library below. This will display in the standard Shotline yellow-row directory format.

96 references. Showing 50 per page.

What You’re Looking At

Each row in the directory represents a single reference item (book, database, archive, website, PDF, map layer, or internal document). These references are the “paper trail” behind wreck pages and research notes across Shotline.

  • Click the title to open the source (if a public link exists).
  • Use tags to filter by region, lake/river corridor, source type, or topic.
  • Follow “Used by / Linked wrecks” (where shown) to jump back into related wreck records.
  • If you see duplicates, it means we’ve imported from multiple source sets — consolidation is underway.

Quick Filter Ideas

  • DB for online databases
  • BOOK for published sources
  • ARCH for archives & museum collections
  • MAP for GIS, charts, coordinates
  • DOC for PDFs / internal documents

Reference IDs

How Shotline Labels Sources

Every reference item receives a stable ID in the format TYPE-#### so it can be linked consistently across wreck records.

Status

Cleanup ongoing: duplicates are being merged as pages are linked.

Common Types

  • DB-#### — Online databases & registries
  • BOOK-#### — Books & published works
  • ARCH-#### — Archives, museums, special collections
  • MAP-#### — Charts, GIS layers, coordinate datasets
  • DOC-#### — PDFs, reports, internal documents

Duplicates & Merging

You may see repeats or near-repeats (same source, different spelling, “docs” vs external link, etc.). That’s expected during import. As we associate sources to wreck pages, we will:

  • choose one canonical entry (keeps the ID)
  • redirect/merge duplicates into it
  • standardize tags (lake/river corridor, source type, publisher)