Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: F. Fitch
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1823
- Builder: Not specified
- Dimensions: Unknown
- Registered Tonnage: Not listed in available registries
- Location: Approximately 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Point Betsie
- Coordinates: Not available
- Official Number: Not listed in available registries
- Original Owners: Captain Harvey Fitch and Alvah Cable, Buffalo, New York
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner, originally constructed as a revenue cutter.
Description
The F. Fitch was a wooden schooner, reportedly built as a revenue cutter and later registered privately in March 1823. Details about her construction, including dimensions and builder, are scarce.
History
Initially serving as a revenue cutter, the F. Fitch transitioned to private ownership in the early 19th century. Owned by Captain Harvey Fitch and Alvah Cable of Buffalo, New York, the vessel was engaged in commercial trade on the Great Lakes.
On August 28, 1898, while bound south along the Lake Michigan coast to pick up a cargo of fruit—likely peaches—for delivery to Chicago, the F. Fitch encountered a storm. During the storm, she collided with an unidentified steam barge approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of the Point Betsie Life Saving Station. The collision caused significant damage, and the schooner sank four hours later, about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of the station.
Captain Fitch and his son managed to escape on a scow and were rescued by the United States Life Saving Service.
Significant Incidents
- Collision with an unidentified steam barge during a storm on August 28, 1898.
Final Disposition
The F. Fitch sank in Lake Michigan and is presumed to be a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No records indicate that the wreck of the F. Fitch has been located. There are no known navigational markers or advisories related to the wreck.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”f-fitch-1823″ title=”References & Links”]
The F. Fitch serves as a historical example of the perils faced by maritime vessels on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century. Despite limited information about her construction and early service, the circumstances of her loss highlight the dangers of navigation and commerce during that era.
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: F. Fitch
- Official Number: Not listed in available registries
- Date Built: Reportedly built as a revenue cutter; first private registry in March 1823
- Dimensions: Unknown
- Date Lost: August 28, 1898
- Place of Loss: Approximately 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Point Betsie, Lake Michigan
- Cause of Loss: Collision with an unidentified steam barge during a storm
- Cargo: Fruit, likely peaches
- Crew: Captain Harvey Fitch and his son
- Ownership: Captain Harvey Fitch and Alvah Cable, Buffalo, New York(greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org)
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner, originally constructed as a revenue cutter.
Description
The F. Fitch was a wooden schooner, reportedly built as a revenue cutter and later registered privately in March 1823. Details about her construction, including dimensions and builder, are scarce.(greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
History
Initially serving as a revenue cutter, the F. Fitch transitioned to private ownership in the early 19th century. Owned by Captain Harvey Fitch and Alvah Cable of Buffalo, New York, the vessel was engaged in commercial trade on the Great Lakes.(greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
On August 28, 1898, while bound south along the Lake Michigan coast to pick up a cargo of fruit—likely peaches—for delivery to Chicago, the F. Fitch encountered a storm. During the storm, she collided with an unidentified steam barge approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of the Point Betsie Life Saving Station. The collision caused significant damage, and the schooner sank four hours later, about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of the station.(en.wikipedia.org)
Captain Fitch and his son managed to escape on a scow and were rescued by the United States Life Saving Service.(en.wikipedia.org)
Final Disposition
The F. Fitch sank in Lake Michigan and is presumed to be a total loss.
Located By & Date Found
No records indicate that the wreck of the F. Fitch has been located.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no known navigational markers or advisories related to the wreck of the F. Fitch.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – F: https://greatlakesrex.wordpress.com/f/
- List of shipwrecks in 1898 – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1898(greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org)
Conclusion
The F. Fitch serves as a historical example of the perils faced by maritime vessels on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century. Despite limited information about her construction and early service, the circumstances of her loss highlight the dangers of navigation and commerce during that era.
Keywords: F. Fitch, Lake Michigan shipwreck, 1898 collision, schooner, Great Lakes maritime history(shipwreckworld.com)
Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan, 19th-century maritime incidents, Great Lakes schooners
Glossary Terms:
- Schooner: A type of sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts.
- Revenue Cutter: A vessel used by a government to enforce customs regulations and prevent smuggling.
- Scow: A flat-bottomed boat with square ends, used for transporting goods.
- United States Life Saving Service: A government agency that provided assistance to shipwrecked mariners and passengers before merging into the U.S. Coast Guard.(en.wikipedia.org)