Explorer

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Explorer
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: Likely mid-19th century
• Builder: Possibly Goderich or another Lake Huron port
• Dimensions: Length 100 ft (30.5 m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: Estimated 100 tons
• Location: Greenock Shoal, near Stokes Bay, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
• Coordinates: Unknown
• Official Number: Unknown
• Original Owners: Various, including Judge Lewis of Goderich and Capt. John Waddell
• Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden schooner, rigged for Great Lakes trade, employed in transporting cargo including grain, timber, whiskey, and mill goods. Active primarily in Lake Huron and Georgian Bay during the mid to late 1800s.

Description

A two-masted, mid-sized Great Lakes schooner, described as a “foreign-after” frequenting the timber and grain ports such as Goderich. Her rig and hull were designed to endure the shifting weather patterns of upper Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. She could reportedly carry up to 2,500 bushels of grain.

History

The Explorer had a storied and tragic career, marred by multiple wrecks, suspicion of insurance fraud, and ghost lore. Her ownership and command changed over time, with links to Judge Lewis of Goderich and Capt. John Waddell.

First Loss (1867):

• Wrecked at or near Cove Island, Georgian Bay, on November 11, 1867
• Crew: Two lives lost—Wm. Starnes and an unnamed crewman; Capt. Waddell survived
• Circumstances: Ran aground during a violent snow squall; shifted cargo; capsized; stern floated until rescued
• Sources: Erie Daily Dispatch, Owen Sound Comet

Insurance Fraud Allegations (circa 1869–1882):

• Explorer believed scuttled off Tobermory or Bear Island under suspicious circumstances
• Capt. Waddell allegedly landed cargo secretly, then reported vessel and crew lost
• Raised in 1882 by Port Huron Wrecking Co.
• Diver R.G. McCulloch found auger holes in the hull, lockers filled with stones, and skeletal remains
• Opposed by Goderich Star who denied all allegations; supported by Port Huron Times and Meaford Monitor

Second & Final Loss (1883):

• After salvage and brief re-use, re-lost on Sept 4, 1883 on Greenough Bank near Stokes Bay
• No further record of recovery or salvage; presumed total loss

Significant Incidents

• Wrecked at Cove Island on November 11, 1867, resulting in two fatalities.
• Allegations of insurance fraud surrounding the vessel’s scuttling.
• Final loss on September 4, 1883, with no recovery recorded.

Final Disposition

Declared a constructive total loss. Presumed wreckage remains on Greenock Shoal or nearby. No formal identification confirmed in modern dive surveys.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Raised temporarily in 1882; location lost again in 1883. Modern location unknown.

Resources & Links

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The Explorer is one of the most enigmatic schooners of Lake Huron, blending fact and folklore. Multiple losses, accusations of insurance fraud, submerged bodies, and auger-hole sabotage are part of her legend. Despite being raised in 1882, she vanished again in 1883 and has yet to be rediscovered. She is a compelling candidate for future archaeological exploration.