Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: COMMODORE PERRY
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1815
- Builder: Sandy Creek, New York
- Dimensions: Length 62 ft (18.9 m); Beam 13.1 ft (4.0 m); Depth of hold 4.2 ft (1.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 31.07
- Location: Approx. 20 miles off Pultneyville, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: 43.58643, -77.06821 on Google Maps
- Official Number: Enrolled at Sackett’s Harbor, NY on June 7, 1819
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner, typical of early 19th-century trade and packet transport across Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal corridor.
Description
The COMMODORE PERRY was a compact and maneuverable schooner launched at Sandy Creek, NY in 1815. Built entirely of wood and equipped with two masts, she was a shallow-draft vessel ideal for lake trade. With a single deck and gross tonnage just over 31, she represents the many lightly built but versatile ships that navigated Lake Ontario before the rise of iron steamers.
History
After her enrollment at Sackett’s Harbor in 1819, the COMMODORE PERRY sailed regional routes transporting light cargoes. Her final voyage was marred by a severe gale that struck Lake Ontario on August 4, 1820. Approximately 20 miles off Pultneyville, the vessel was overwhelmed, capsized, and sank. Fortunately, her crew escaped in a skiff and rowed across 30 miles of rough lake waters to reach safety at Sodus Bay.
Though she survived an earlier grounding near the mouth of Fox River and a stranding at Buffalo later in 1820, this August storm marked her total loss in deep water.
Significant Incidents
- Grounding near the mouth of Fox River.
- Stranding at Buffalo later in 1820.
- Sank in a gale on August 4, 1820, approximately 20 miles off Pultneyville.
Final Disposition
Sank in a sudden gale on Lake Ontario, off Pultneyville, NY, on August 4, 1820. The ship foundered without cargo aboard, saving her crew but dooming the vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
NOAA records the location at 43.58643, -77.06821, approximately 20 miles off the southern Lake Ontario shoreline near Pultneyville, New York.
None currently issued. The wreck lies in U.S. waters and is not known to be marked or buoyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”commodore-perry-1815″ title=”References & Links”]
The COMMODORE PERRY serves as a historical reminder of early 19th-century maritime trade on Lake Ontario. Divers interested in exploring this wreck should be aware of the conditions and the need for careful navigation in the area.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: COMMODORE PERRY
- Former Names: None
- Registration Number(s): Enrolled at Sackett’s Harbor, NY on June 7, 1819
- Year of Build: 1815
- Built At: Sandy Creek, New York
- Measurements:
- Length: 62 ft (18.9 m)
- Beam: 13.1 ft (4.0 m)
- Depth: 4.2 ft (1.3 m)
- Gross Tonnage: 31.07
- Date Lost: August 4, 1820
- Final Location: Sank in a gale, approx. 20 miles off Pultneyville, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: 43.58643, -77.06821 on Google Maps
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner, typical of early 19th-century trade and packet transport across Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal corridor.
Description
The COMMODORE PERRY was a compact and maneuverable schooner launched at Sandy Creek, NY in 1815. Built entirely of wood and equipped with two masts, she was a shallow-draft vessel ideal for lake trade. With a single deck and gross tonnage just over 31, she represents the many lightly built but versatile ships that navigated Lake Ontario before the rise of iron steamers.
History
After her enrollment at Sackett’s Harbor in 1819, the COMMODORE PERRY sailed regional routes transporting light cargoes. Her final voyage was marred by a severe gale that struck Lake Ontario on August 4, 1820. Approximately 20 miles off Pultneyville, the vessel was overwhelmed, capsized, and sank. Fortunately, her crew escaped in a skiff and rowed across 30 miles of rough lake waters to reach safety at Sodus Bay.
Though she survived an earlier grounding near the mouth of Fox River and a stranding at Buffalo later in 1820, this August storm marked her total loss in deep water.
Final Disposition
Sank in a sudden gale on Lake Ontario, off Pultneyville, NY, on August 4, 1820. The ship foundered without cargo aboard, saving her crew but dooming the vessel.
Located By & Date Found
NOAA records the location at 43.58643, -77.06821, approximately 20 miles off the southern Lake Ontario shoreline near Pultneyville, New York.
Notmars & Advisories
None currently issued. The wreck lies in U.S. waters and is not known to be marked or buoyed.
Resources & Links
- Google Maps: Wreck Site Coordinates
- NOAA Shipwreck Database
- Great Lakes Ships
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Cleveland Weekly Herald & Detroit Gazette, 1820 archival references
Glossary Term
C-3 – Register of Wrecks and Casualties, Inland Waters
Historical and contemporary registries used to document wrecked, stranded, or abandoned vessels in Great Lakes and Canadian inland waters.
Keywords
COMMODORE PERRY, schooner, Lake Ontario, Pultneyville, Sackett’s Harbor, 1820 storm, NOAA shipwrecks, early 19th-century sailing vessels, shipwreck location Lake Ontario, Philo Taylor.
commodore-perry-1815 1820-08-04 11:12:00