Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Anna M. Foster
- Type: Wooden Schooner
- Year Built: 1875
- Builder: David M. Foster, Port Burwell, Ontario, Canada
- Dimensions: Length: 82 ft (25 m); Beam: 20.3 ft (6.2 m); Depth of hold: 8.8 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 77.6 tons
- Location: Approx. 25 miles offshore of Charlotte, NY
- Coordinates: Approx. 43.5172° N, -77.2305° W
- Official Number: 71276
- Original Owners: Multiple owners, operated out of Port Burwell, Goderich, and Kingston
- Number of Masts: Two masts
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden Two-Masted Schooner – 19th Century Cargo Transport
Description
The Anna M. Foster was a robust, general-purpose wooden schooner, ideal for coal and agricultural cargo across the Great Lakes. Her moderate size and hull configuration allowed her to navigate varied lake ports while maintaining capacity for meaningful freight. Schooners of this type were pivotal in the transition era prior to the dominance of steam propulsion.
History
Built in 1875 by David Foster, this schooner served multiple owners and operated out of Port Burwell, Goderich, and Kingston. A November 1884 incident saw her grounded near Cobourg, resulting in partial damage, but she was repaired and returned to service.
She played a reliable role in inland shipping, notably carrying coal and lumber—essential materials for the expanding urban economies around Lake Ontario.
Significant Incidents
On August 31, 1889, while transporting coal to Kingston, Ontario, the Anna M. Foster collided with the steam yacht Siesta approximately 25 miles from Charlotte, NY. The schooner suffered catastrophic hull damage and sank shortly after the impact. Remarkably, the crew of four, including a female cook and a Newfoundland dog, were all rescued by the Siesta. The steamer incurred no damage, highlighting the fragile nature of wooden hulls in collisions with steel-hulled steam vessels.
Final Disposition
The Foster sank in deep water and was never salvaged or recovered. It is presumed to lie somewhere offshore between Charlotte and Port Ontario, though no confirmed sonar or dive discovery has yet been made. The vessel is not listed in NOAA wreck databases, and no NOTMARs apply.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Approximate coordinates based on archival newspaper reports and witness testimonies place it around [43.5172, -77.2305]. The wreck remains unconfirmed and unsurveyed. Located in 2020 by NOAA as a possible target.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”anna-m-foster-foster-c-71276″ title=”References & Links”]
The Anna M. Foster exemplifies the challenges of 19th-century schooner transport, navigating weather and busy waterways filled with larger, more resilient steamers. Though her wreck remains elusive, her story survives through newspaper accounts and historical registries. She represents a key phase in Great Lakes maritime history—the final era of wooden sail amid the rise of steam.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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