Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: EUREKA
- Type: Wooden schooner (converted from propeller steamer/barge)
- Year Built: 1872
- Builder: A. M. Robertson
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: ~338 tons
- Location: Lake Huron, off Kincardine, Ontario
- Coordinates: Not documented in searchable records
- Official Number: U.S. 100392
- Original Owners: Multiple owners including Allen, George W.; Bennett; Leonard, Jane E.; Murphy, Thomas; Nesbit, John Stewart; New England Transportation CO; Ragan, E.; Rogan, Elizabeth
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Originally launched as CANADA, a British steam barge, the vessel was later rebuilt and renamed SCHILDE, then converted into the cargo schooner EUREKA. After loss of life and machinery issues, salvors raised and re-rigged her as a schooner-barge of about 338 gross tons for coastwise lumber and coal transport between Lake Huron and Erie.
Description
The EUREKA was a wooden schooner that underwent several transformations throughout her service life. Initially built as a steam barge, she was repurposed into a schooner to facilitate the transport of goods across the Great Lakes. Her design and construction reflect the maritime engineering practices of the late 19th century.
History
EUREKA’s documented mishaps include:
- Machinery failure near Montreal in September 1872
- A broken paddle wheel near Chicago in 1880
- Multiple groundings in Georgian Bay (White Cloud Island, 1882; near Rockport, 1883)
- Sinking in the St. Lawrence River, raised and repurposed
- Final foundering on November 7–8, 1901, between Tawas and Port Huron (Lake Huron), with one crew member lost.
Significant Incidents
Throughout her career, EUREKA changed owners multiple times, including:
- Allen, George W. 1897-00-00 1897-00-00 U.S. 100392
- Bennett 1897-00-00 1897-00-00 U.S. 100392
- Leonard, Jane E. 1896-00-00 1897-00-00 U.S. 100392
- Murphy, Thomas 1894-00-00 1896-00-00 U.S. 100392
- Nesbit, John Stewart 1892-00-00 1894-00-00 CANADA 100394
- New England Transportation CO 1878-00-00 1892-00-00 CANADA 100392
- Ragan, E. 1899-00-00 1901-00-00 U.S. 100392
- Rogan, Elizabeth 1897-00-00 1899-00-00 U.S. 100392
Final Disposition
On November 7–8, 1901, while voyaging in Lake Huron, EUREKA foundered and was lost between Tawas Bay and Port Huron. The vessel reportedly broke up; one crew member died. Despite local tradition attributing the loss near Kincardine, no authoritative record directly confirms that position.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Cause of Loss: Gale or structural failure resulting in foundering. The vessel broke apart and presumably scattered; no remains located in modern dive or wreck databases.
Casualties: 1 confirmed death.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”eureka-us-116578-canada-c-100392-schilde” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The schooner EUREKA originated as a steam barge named CANADA, built in Hamilton in 1872. After multiple rebuilds and conversions, she sailed under various owners as SCHILDE and then EUREKA. She foundered in Lake Huron in November 1901, likely between Tawas Bay and Port Huron, with one crew member lost. While local maritime lore places the wreck near Kincardine, this remains unconfirmed in extant archival sources. No modern wreck site identification exists. Further investigation via maritime reports, local newspapers, and museum archives could yield more precise details or evidence.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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