Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Commencement
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder: Likely in Cleveland or Detroit, though exact yard unconfirmed
- Dimensions: Approx. 98–105 ft (30–32 m); Beam about 21 ft (6.4 m); Depth of hold unknown
- Registered Tonnage: Likely around 200–250 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 30 m / 100 ft
- Location: Lake Michigan, off western Michigan coast
- Coordinates: Exact coordinates uncharted
- Official Number: Not conclusively documented
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A classic wooden Great Lakes schooner, designed for mixed cargo — in this case timber products — with a deep hold and broad beam for stable lake passage.
Description
The Commencement was a typical two-masted schooner built for timber and general cargo, constructed of white oak planking with iron fastenings. When lost, she was loaded with wood in the hold and telegraph poles stacked on deck, making her high-sided and top-heavy.
History
On 25 September 1869, the Commencement departed Pentwater, Michigan, bound for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She carried a load of cut lumber plus a deck cargo of telegraph poles, which were in high demand as telegraph lines expanded westward after the Civil War.
Shortly after departure, she began leaking rapidly from suspected hull failure. Her pumps could not keep up with the inflow. The crew launched their yawl boat to abandon ship around 7 PM local time, managing to escape before the vessel foundered.
There is no record of casualties, but the vessel was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- 25 September 1869: Commencement departed Pentwater, Michigan, and began leaking shortly after departure.
- The crew abandoned ship before it foundered, with no reported casualties.
Final Disposition
She was never salvaged, and the wreck was left in deep water. It is believed to have either broken up in storms or become buried in shifting Lake Michigan sand.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed rediscovery. As of the most recent surveys, the Commencement has not been located.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”commencement-1853″ title=”References & Links”]
The Commencement is representative of countless small Great Lakes schooners that disappeared during the 19th century. Overloaded with deck cargo and stressed hull timbers, she fell victim to conditions common on the lakes before steel-hulled ships became the norm. Her loss highlights both the ingenuity and the risk inherent in frontier-era maritime commerce.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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