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.

(Wooden Schooner — foundered 1903)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Vessel Name: Enterprise — a wooden schooner, one of several vessels named Enterprise active around 1903 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Official Number: Not clearly identified in surviving records
• Build Info: Built in the 19th century in Canadian yards (possibly Barrie Island area listings) (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Dimensions: Not recorded in the accessible summary
• Date of Loss: 1903 (specific day not reported) (ships.navalmarinearchive.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Loss Location: Georgian Bay, Lake Huron—near Barrie Island in the Canadian sector (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Cargo: Not mentioned or unknown
• Loss Type: Foundered (i.e., sinking due to taking on water or structural failure) in lieu of detail, with no further context provided (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Loss of Life: Unknown (no casualties mentioned) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type

• Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, likely small-to-medium sized, used in coastal cargo or mixed trade within Georgian Bay and Lake Huron coastal routes (Wikipedia)

Description

• Built of wood in Ontario or Georgian Bay yards (not precisely attributed in summary). The listing notes multiple small Canadian schooners bearing the name Enterprise, and this particular one was lost near Barrie Island in Georgian Bay in 1903, without further technical detail (ships.navalmarinearchive.com).

History

• Operational Record: Little is recorded; this Enterprise likely served local coastal freight routes—possibly carrying lumber, grain, or general goods between Great Lakes ports.
• Incident Summary: The schooner foundered—sank due to uncontrolled ingress of water or hull failure—on Lake Huron near Barrie Island in Georgian Bay. The loss is noted in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry, but no narrative specifics (weather, crew actions) are provided (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Final Disposition

• The vessel sank completely. Because no details about rescue or casualties are noted, it’s possible the crew abandoned ship safely or that no crew were aboard at the time (though that’s speculative). No known salvage or recovery took place.

Located By & Date Found

• There is no record of modern discovery by divers, side-scan sonar, or official archaeological surveys. The wreck remains unlocated and undocumented.

Notmars & Advisories

• No government or maritime agency bulletins or Notices to Mariners appear to mention the wreck. No hazard was sustained beyond the sinking day—None noted.

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files — E‑section, entry for Enterprise (1903, foundered, near Barrie Island, Lake Huron) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Naval Marine Archive research summary citing possible confusion with schooner that sank in Lake Simcoe—but more likely Georgian Bay incident (ships.navalmarinearchive.com)

Gaps & Next Steps

• Exact vessel identification: Without official number or build specifications, it’s difficult to match to registry records. Archives such as Ontario ship registries (1900–1903), Lloyd’s List Canada, or marine inspection rolls might help.
• Crew and casualty status: Local newspapers in Ontario around summer 1903 (e.g. Collingwood News, Midland Free Press, Toronto Telegram) should be researched to find reports or any mention.
• Investigation records: Regional marine inspection, Board of Trade inquiries, or Ontario provincial shipping incident logs may contain a short summary.
• Location confirmation: Side-scan sonar surveys in the waters around Barrie Island and vicinity (Georgian Bay) could potentially identify remains if the hull still rests on the lake bottom.

Conclusion

The Enterprise that foundered in 1903 is minimally documented. It was one of several Canadian schooners named Enterprise, and is recorded to have foundered in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, near Barrie Island, with no further details or casualties noted. The wreck remains completely undocumented and unlocated. Additional research into regional newspapers, marine registry logs, and Canadian maritime archives would be necessary to complete a full profile.

m-d-carrington-c1875 1903-09-01 17:24:00