Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Appelona
- Type: Wooden Schooner
- Year Built:
- Builder: Not documented, Henderson, NY
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Approximately 16 miles offshore, between Oswego and Genesee, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: Estimated to be 18–20 miles southeast of Oswego Light
- Original Owners: Not documented
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The APPELONA was a wooden schooner, a standard merchant vessel type on the Great Lakes throughout the 19th century. With fore-and-aft rigging, schooners like the Appelona were optimized for coastal and inland lake shipping, capable of carrying varied bulk cargo and navigating both open water and tight harbour channels. Though sturdy, these vessels remained vulnerable to the unpredictable storms and weather phenomena of the Great Lakes.
Description
Under the command of Captain W. Merrill, the Appelona set out from Oswego en route to Genesee. Carrying a partial cargo of pot-ashes and salt, and balanced with salt ballast, she encountered a sudden squall that rose from the west as the vessel lay to under a close-reefed fore sail.
During the storm, a lightning strike caused devastating damage:
- Destroyed the tiller, rudder head, binnacle, windlass, cabin stairs, and bulkhead
- Damaged cargo including salt and potash barrels
- Tore a plank from the larboard (port) side, causing rapid flooding
Despite quick action, the vessel began to founder within minutes.
History
Realizing the vessel was lost, the crew launched a small boat and escaped. They fought northwest winds and rough seas in a water-filled boat before making landfall approximately 13 miles below Oswego. All aboard survived.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: Undocumented, likely mid-19th century
- Cause of Loss: Lightning strike and structural damage during a storm
- Location: Approx. 16 miles offshore, between Oswego and Genesee
- Cargo Loss: Total (potash, salt, and salt ballast)
- Crew: Survived
- Wreck Status: Not documented in surveys
Final Disposition
Discovery Status: Not located
Est. Coordinates: Not fixed; based on reports from survivors approximately 18–20 miles southeast of Oswego Light
Current Condition & Accessibility
NOTMARs: None active
Advisories: Mariners should exercise general caution in the Oswego–Genesee corridor due to known historical wrecks and submerged hazards
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”appelona-1814″ title=”References & Links”]
The APPELONA represents a classic 19th-century schooner loss — sudden, catastrophic, and largely undocumented. The story serves as a vivid reminder of how even well-handled vessels were at the mercy of nature on Lake Ontario. The crew’s successful escape underscores the skill and resilience of Great Lakes sailors. Today, the vessel remains lost, a piece of the lake’s long and often stormy commercial history.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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