Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: E. Fitzgerald
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1870
- Builder: Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 135 ft (41 m); Beam 33 ft; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 297 tons
- Location: About 2 miles west of the old cut light at Long Point, Lake Erie
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A typical Great Lakes freight schooner, built in 1870 for transporting bulk commodities like wheat. As with many sail-powered vessels of the era, its stability was challenged by heavy weather and icing.
Description
Measuring approximately 135 ft in length and 33 ft in beam, E. Fitzgerald was deeply laden with wheat when it encountered a severe snowstorm. Heavy ice buildup on her wooden hull and rigging contributed to her eventual wreck in shallow water.
History
On the night of 14 November 1883, a rapid onset snowstorm struck off Long Point. The schooner was pounded by wind, waves, and accumulating ice. Nearing the shoreline, she struck and became stranded while frozen over. The crew abandoned ship in the yawl, but tragically all crew perished before reaching shore.
Local news from November 1883—such as the Norfolk Reformer—depicted the vessel as completely coated in ice and lifeless in the gale.
Significant Incidents
- 14 November 1883: E. Fitzgerald lost in a storm, all crew members perished.
Final Disposition
The vessel remains wrecked in shallow water near the beach off Long Point. Ice likely preserved some wreckage beneath the water until gradual decay and sand coverage occurred. No modern dive documentation exists.
Current Condition & Accessibility
While wreckage washed ashore soon after loss, no contemporary dive surveys have recorded the site. Its approximate position remains known through historical mapping but is not charted in maritime databases.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”e-fitzgerald-1870″ title=”References & Links”]
The E. Fitzgerald is an early example of a freight schooner claimed by a combination of late-season storm and icing. Her tragic loss of life exemplifies the perilous conditions faced by 19th-century mariners on Lake Erie. The wreck, though largely unstudied, is a poignant reminder of the dangers of ice accretion and gale-driven wrecks in this region.
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: E. Fitzgerald (commonly known as “Edmond Fitzgerald”)
- Year Built: 1870, Port Huron, Michigan
- Vessel Type: Two-masted wooden schooner (~135 ft, 297 tons)
- Cargo at Loss: Wheat
- Crew: 7–8 (all lost)
- Date Lost: 14 November 1883
- Final Location: Foundered in a storm about 2 miles west of the old cut light at Long Point, Lake Erie; became encased in ice (greatlakespeopleandplaces.com, newspapers.library.in.gov, flybridge.proboards.com)
Vessel Type
A typical Great Lakes freight schooner, built in 1870 for transporting bulk commodities like wheat. As with many sail-powered vessels of the era, its stability was challenged by heavy weather and icing.
Description
Measuring approximately 135 ft in length and 33 ft in beam, E. Fitzgerald was deeply laden with wheat when it encountered a severe snowstorm. Heavy ice buildup on her wooden hull and rigging contributed to her eventual wreck in shallow water.
History & Loss
On the night of 14 November 1883, a rapid onset snowstorm struck off Long Point. The schooner was pounded by wind, waves, and accumulating ice. Nearing the shoreline, she struck and became stranded while frozen over. The crew abandoned ship in the yawl, but tragically all crew perished before reaching shore .
Local news from November 1883—such as the Norfolk Reformer—depicted the vessel as completely coated in ice and lifeless in the gale (greatlakespeopleandplaces.com).
Final Disposition
The vessel remains wrecked in shallow water near the beach off Long Point. Ice likely preserved some wreckage beneath the water until gradual decay and sand coverage occurred. No modern dive documentation exists.
Located By & Date Found
While wreckage washed ashore soon after loss, no contemporary dive surveys have recorded the site. Its approximate position remains known through historical mapping but is not charted in maritime databases.
Notations & Advisories
No navigational hazards are currently marked. The area is subject to clearing following storms, and wreckage may surface near shore during spring tides or strong winds.
Conclusion
The E. Fitzgerald is an early example of a freight schooner claimed by a combination of late-season storm and icing. Her tragic loss of life exemplifies the perilous conditions faced by 19th-century mariners on Lake Erie. The wreck, though largely unstudied, is a poignant reminder of the dangers of ice accretion and gale-driven wrecks in this region.
Keywords: E. Fitzgerald schooner, Long Point wreck, wheat cargo, ice-induced shipwreck, 1883 maritime tragedy
Categories:
- Lake Erie shipwrecks
- 19th-century schooner disasters
- ice-related maritime losses
- Long Point wrecks
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes People & Places — evidence of the sinking, crew loss, and location (greatlakespeopleandplaces.com, britannica.com)
- Indiana Daily Wabash Express / Indianapolis Journal (November 17, 1883) — reports the schooner covered in ice and lifeless near shore (newspapers.library.in.gov)
- Wisconsin Genealogy – Marine History — lists the incident and fatal crew loss at Long Point (linkstothepast.com)