Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: A.E. Vickery
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1861
- Builder: Asa Wilcox, Three Mile Bay, New York
- Dimensions: Length ~136 ft (41.5 m); Beam ~26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold approx 10-11 ft (~3.0-3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: ~291 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 33.5 m / 110 ft
- Location: Off Rock Island Lighthouse, American Channel, St. Lawrence River
- Coordinates: N 44° 16.8210′, W 76° 01.1830′
- Official Number: US 13303
- Original Owners: Duncan M. Callum & Asa Wilcox (as J.B. Penfield); later J. T. Vickery of Vickery & Co., Chicago (renamed A.E. Vickery)
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The A.E. Vickery was a three-masted wooden schooner, typical of the mid-19th century design used for bulk cargo transport in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
Description
The A.E. Vickery was a wooden-hulled, three-masted schooner built in 1861 by Asa Wilcox at Three Mile Bay, New York. Its rig consisted of three masts carrying fore-and-aft sails typical of Great Lakes river/sea trade of the era. The vessel measured approximately 136 ft in length, with a beam of about 26 ft, and a hold depth near 10-11 ft. It was built for bulk cargo trade, particularly grain and other bulk commodities. The hull form and rigging reflect mid-19th century schooner architecture in the Great Lakes/Thousand Islands region.
History
Under its original name J.B. Penfield, the schooner was enrolled at Oswego, New York, and owned by Duncan M. Callum & Asa Wilcox. In February 1884, the vessel was sold to J. T. Vickery of Chicago and renamed A.E. Vickery on 25 February 1884. The schooner then operated in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River corridor, carrying bulk goods such as corn and coal between U.S. and Canadian ports.
On its final voyage in August 1889, the A.E. Vickery departed Chicago with a cargo of approximately 21,000 bushels of corn destined for the J. B. Wiser’s Distillery in Prescott, Ontario. While navigating the American Channel near the Rock Island Lighthouse in the Thousand Islands, the schooner struck a shoal shortly after the river pilot boarded at Fishers Landing. The collision caused rapid flooding; the crew abandoned the vessel in a yawl and reached shore safely. The A.E. Vickery sank in the channel soon afterwards.
Significant Incidents
- The A.E. Vickery grounded on a shoal in the American Narrows while under pilotage, aggravated by a stiff wind that drove the vessel further onto the shoal.
- After drifting off the shoal into deeper water, only spars remained above the surface; the vessel was later declared a total loss and was abandoned by its owners to underwriters.
Final Disposition
The cause of loss was grounding on a shoal in the American Narrows while under pilotage, aggravated by a stiff wind that drove the vessel further onto the shoal. After drifting off the shoal into deeper water, only spars remained above the surface; the vessel was later declared a total loss and was abandoned by its owners to underwriters. Navigation hazards were addressed by removal of masts and some wreckage over time.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck has been known to divers for decades, located widely as a dive site in the St. Lawrence River. A modern 3D imaging survey is noted in 2024 by the St. Lawrence River Historical Foundation. Precise discovery date and the original locating expedition are not documented in publicly accessible records; announcement of diving access dates back to the 1950s.
Current hazards include strong surface and channel currents in the American Channel; the wreck lies within an active shipping channel, and ascent to the surface must use caution with a surface-support boat recommended.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”a-e-vickery-us13330-j-b-penfield” title=”References & Links”]
Captain John Massey (aged ~34 at time of wreck) survived and continued maritime service after the loss. Four crewmen abandoned aboard yawl with the captain, all survived. No fatalities reported. Further individual crew data not located in accessible archival records; researchers may consult enrollment and shipping logs at Port of Oswego and local newspaper archives for full personnel lists.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The A.E. Vickery was a wooden‑hulled, three‑masted schooner built in 1861 by Asa Wilcox at Three Mile Bay, New York. Its rig consisted of three masts carrying fore‑and‑aft sails typical of Great Lakes river/sea trade of the era. The vessel measured approximately 136 ft in length, with a beam of about 26 ft, and a hold depth near 10‑11 ft. It was built for bulk cargo trade, particularly grain and other bulk commodities. The hull form and rigging reflect mid‑19th‑century schooner architecture in the Great Lakes/Thousand Islands region.History
Under its original name J.B. Penfield, the schooner was enrolled at Oswego, New York, and owned by Duncan M. Callum & Asa Wilcox. In February 1884 the vessel was sold to J. T. Vickery of Chicago and renamed A.E. Vickery on 25 February 1884. The schooner then operated in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River corridor, carrying bulk goods such as corn and coal between U.S. and Canadian ports. On its final voyage in August 1889, the A.E. Vickery departed Chicago with a cargo of approximately 21,000 bushels of corn destined for the J. B. Wiser’s Distillery in Prescott, Ontario. While navigating the American Channel near the Rock Island Lighthouse in the Thousand Islands, the schooner struck a shoal shortly after the river pilot boarded at Fishers Landing. The collision caused rapid flooding; the crew abandoned the vessel in a yawl and reached shore safely. The A.E. Vickery sank in the channel soon afterwards.Final Dispositions
The cause of loss was grounding on a shoal in the American Narrows while under pilotage, aggravated by a stiff wind that drove the vessel further onto the shoal. After drifting off the shoal into deeper water, only spars remained above the surface; the vessel was later declared a total loss and was abandoned by its owners to underwriters. Navigation hazards were addressed by removal of masts and some wreckage over time.Located By & Date Found
The wreck has been known to divers for decades, located widely as a dive site in the St. Lawrence River. A modern 3D imaging survey is noted in 2024 by the St. Lawrence River Historical Foundation. Precise discovery date and the original locating expedition are not documented in publicly accessible records; announcement of diving access dates back to the 1950s.Notmars & Advisories
Current hazards: Strong surface and channel currents in the American Channel; wreck lies within active shipping channel — ascent to surface must use caution and surface‐support boat recommended. No specific official navigational notices publicly noted beyond general warnings relating to shipwreck hazards.Dive Information
Access: Boat entry recommended (shore access impractical due to strong current). Entry Point: Launch from Clayton/Thousand Islands region, proceed to Rock Island Light buoy. Conditions: Strong surface current in channel; mild current near wreck; visibility variable. Depth Range: Approximately 65 ft (~19.8 m) at bow, down to ~110 ft (~33.5 m) at stern, with structural components (masts) extending to ~180 ft (~54.9 m). Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound (for U.S. side) + local dive charters in Thousand Islands region. Permits: No special wreck permit noted publicly; however divers must conform to U.S./Canadian border‐and maritime regulations in the Thousand Islands area. Dive Support: Local dive charter services in Clayton, NY and Alexandria Bay, NY.Crew & Casualty Memorials
Captain John Massey (aged ~34 at time of wreck) survived and continued maritime service after the loss. Four crewmen abandoned aboard yawl with the captain, all survived. No fatalities reported. Further individual crew data not located in accessible archival records; researchers may consult enrollment and shipping logs at Port of Oswego and local newspaper archives for full personnel lists.Documented Statements & Extracts
“In a peculiar twist … a U.S. Marshal arrived the following spring to post a notice of seizure for salvage claims on the sunken Vickery … Undaunted, the marshal donned a suit of diving armor, to make his seizure in true naval style.”
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
The vessel was enrolled at Oswego, New York under its original name J.B. Penfield. Upon sale and renaming to A.E. Vickery in 1884, the registry remained U.S. flagged under Chicago ownership. At time of loss the owner declared the vessel a total loss and abandoned it to underwriters.Site Documentation & Imaging
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Newspapers.com
- Find A Grave
- “A.E. Vickery Hits a Shoal” — Thousand Islands Life (Mar 2021)
- Wrecks & Reefs – Vickery dive site
- Underwater imagery: A.E. Vickery – Warren Lo Photography
References
- Palmer, Richard F., “A.E. Vickery Hits a Shoal”, Thousand Islands Life, Volume 16, Issue 3, March 2021.
- “Vickery”, Wrecks & Reefs – dive site information.
- “A.E. Vickery – 3D Shipwrecks”, St. Lawrence River Historical Foundation.
- “A.E. Vickery – Wreck Location Map & GPS”, ShipwreckWorld.