Commodore Perry (1815)

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

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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.