Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Chief Justice Robinson
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1841
- Builder: Louis Shickluna, St. Catharines, Ontario
- Dimensions: Length: 86.8 ft (26.5 m); Beam: 17.9 ft (5.5 m); Depth: 8.4 ft (2.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 107 tons (old style)
- Location: Near Presque Isle, Lake Ontario
- Original Owners: Land & Routh of Hamilton, Ontario
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A traditionally-built two-masted wooden schooner with a carvel-planked hull, standing bowsprit, and square stern. Schooners of this era were optimized for maneuverability and cargo capacity, well-suited to the commercial needs of Great Lakes ports, especially in a region prone to variable winds and tight harbours.
Description
The Chief Justice Robinson was designed with robust wooden construction typical of the 1840s, intended to serve reliably in the busy regional trade networks of Upper Canada (Ontario) and the eastern Great Lakes. Her rig was standard for two-masted schooners of the time, with fore-and-aft sails to allow good upwind sailing capability.
History
Built in 1841 by master shipwright Louis Shickluna of St. Catharines, Ontario, the Chief Justice Robinson was registered to Land & Routh of Hamilton, Ontario. She operated across Lake Ontario and nearby routes, hauling grain, flour, and other general cargo vital to growing communities.
On 1 December 1848, while on a voyage from Hamilton to Kingston with 1,250 barrels of flour, the schooner encountered a severe gale near Presque Isle, Lake Ontario. Under the command of Captain A. McBride, the crew attempted to find shelter but the schooner was overwhelmed by the storm and wrecked. Though the vessel was a total loss with damages estimated at $3,500, there was no loss of life reported, and most of the cargo was salvaged, albeit damaged.
Significant Incidents
- Wrecked on 1 December 1848 during a severe gale near Presque Isle, Lake Ontario.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after being wrecked near Presque Isle on 1 December 1848.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck location is historically reported near Presque Isle, Lake Ontario. No modern dive survey has been recorded and the current condition is unknown.
Resources & Links
The Chief Justice Robinson is an excellent example of a Lake Ontario schooner of the 1840s, built by one of Upper Canada’s most respected shipwrights. Her loss in a violent gale underscores the dangers faced by 19th-century commercial vessels on the Great Lakes, even relatively near shore.