Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Daniel D. Perry US 163494

Explore the wreck of the Daniel D. Perry, a wooden scow lost in a storm on Lake Erie in 1916, near Strawberry Island.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Daniel D. Perry
  • Type: Wood scow, unrigged bulk carrier
  • Year Built: 1908
  • Builder: Buffalo, NY
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: 289 tons gross; 268 tons net
  • Location: Stranded and wrecked during a storm at north end of Strawberry Island, near Buffalo, NY
  • Official Number: 163494
  • Original Owners: Sold to Canadian interests in 1916; crewed by mixed U.S./Canadian
  • Number of Masts: none

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A wooden, unrigged scow designed to carry bulk commodities such as grain. It is a spacious flat-bottomed vessel suited to shallow-draft Bay usage.

Description

The Daniel D. Perry was primarily used for transporting grain and other bulk materials across Lake Erie. It was launched in 1908 and primarily operated in the Buffalo/Southern Ontario trade.

History

Construction & Registration: Launched in New York, 1908. Primarily worked Buffalo/Southern Ontario trade.
Ownership: Sold to Canadian interests in 1916; crewed by mixed U.S./Canadian.
Operational Use: Mainly carried grain or bulk materials across Lake Erie.

Significant Incidents

  • A severe storm on August 24, 1916 drove the vessel ashore onto Strawberry Island; it wrecked with no recorded survivors.
  • Authorities listed her as a total loss — stranded beyond salvage ability in the storm.

Final Disposition

The vessel was driven ashore during a storm and was deemed a total loss. No survivors were recorded from the incident.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck is listed in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files under “P”, citing a 1975 wreck-site survey. The exact wreck location is at the northern extremity of Strawberry Island; however, conditions and survey details remain undocumented. No further updates or dive records have been published since the initial note.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”daniel-d-perry-us-163494″ title=”References & Links”]

The Daniel D. Perry serves as a classic example of early 20th-century unrigged scow construction frequently lost to Lake Erie’s seasonal convective storms. Its documented wreck near Strawberry Island highlights the need for updated site documentation to understand both heritage and safety implications in this under-investigated area of Lake Erie.

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.

(official No. 163494; wooden unrigged scow, 289 tons)

  • Built: 1908, Buffalo, NY
  • Type: Wood scow, unrigged bulk carrier
  • Loss date: August 24, 1916
  • Location: Stranded and wrecked during a storm at north end of Strawberry Island, near Buffalo, NY on Lake Erie (alcheminc.com)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

Vessel Type & Description

  • A wooden, unrigged scow designed to carry bulk commodities such as grain (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Spacious flat-bottomed vessel suited to shallow-draft Bay usage.

History

  • Construction & Registration: Launched New York, 1908. Primarily worked Buffalo/Southern Ontario trade.
  • Ownership: Sold to Canadian interests in 1916; crewed by mixed U.S./Canadian.
  • Operational Use: Mainly carried grain or bulk materials across Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Only In Your State).

Final Disposition

  • A severe storm on August 24, 1916 drove the vessel ashore onto Strawberry Island; it wrecked with no recorded survivors.
  • Authorities listed her as a total loss — stranded beyond salvage ability in the storm.

Wreck & Survey

  • Listed in Great Lakes Shipwreck Files under “P”, citing 1975 wreck-site survey (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Exact wreck location: northern extremity of Strawberry Island; conditions and survey details remain undocumented.
  • No further updates or dive records currently published — presumably undocumented & unsurveyed since initial note.

Notmars & Official Notices

  • No specific Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins located in sources; likely no ongoing navigational hazard.

Resources & Links

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files — detailed registry entries
  • Lake Erie Shipwreck Map (Alchem Inc.) — confirmation details (alcheminc.com)

Research Gaps & Next Steps

  • Survey Data: While wreck was listed in 1975, detailed sonar or diver survey reports are missing.
  • Archival Investigation: Further investigation in Buffalo maritime archives, local newspapers (Aug 1916 storm) may yield crew lists or casualty reports.
  • Diver Access: If conditions and access are possible, ROV imaging or diver-led documentation recommended for site status and preservation analysis.

Conclusion

The Daniel D. Perry serves as a classic example of early 20th-century unrigged scow construction frequently lost to Lake Erie’s seasonal convective storms. Its documented wreck near Strawberry Island highlights the need for updated site documentation to understand both heritage and safety implications in this under-investigated area of Lake Erie.

daniel-d-perry-us-163494 1916-08-24 10:21:00