Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Flying Cloud
- Type: Two-masted schooner, lumber trade
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Racine, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: 85.58 ft (26.07 m) X 23.17 ft (7.06 m); Depth of hold: 7 ft (2.13 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 35 gross tons
- Location: 8 miles off Racine, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: 42° 43.538′ N, 87° 40.408′ W
- Original Owners: Original: Alexander Stebbins (Racine, WI); ½ interest sold to Seneca Raymond (Racine, WI) on March 30, 1853
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted schooner designed for the lumber trade, reflecting mid-19th century Great Lakes shipbuilding practices.
Description
The Flying Cloud was a wooden schooner built in 1852, optimized for carrying lumber and bulk cargo. With a length of 85.58 ft and a beam of 23.17 ft, it was designed for short-haul transport in local harbors.
History
Entered service in 1852, the Flying Cloud operated primarily between Milwaukee, Racine, and Michigan ports. Its operational history is limited, with records mainly pertaining to its capsizing and subsequent salvage efforts.
Significant Incidents
- September 17-18, 1853: Capsized during a Lake Michigan squall approximately 8 miles off Racine. Crew abandoned ship and reached shore safely.
- September 20, 1853: Marine reports indicated the wreck was adrift and unrecovered.
- September 22, 1853: Underwriters began total loss proceedings.
- October 1853: Discovered floating by the schooner New Hampshire and towed to Muskegon, Illinois.
- November 2, 1853: Confirmed by the Buffalo Daily Republic that the wreck had been adrift for weeks before towage.
Final Disposition
Initially declared a total loss, the Flying Cloud was towed in but records ceased in 1853, suggesting a constructive total loss despite physical recovery. No further records indicate re-rigging or new enrollment, implying probable abandonment post-tow.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No verified wreckage exists today; the vessel was likely salvaged or dismantled after towage. The reported coordinates reflect the capsize site, not a wreck site, and thus there is no shore dive or ROV target present.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”flying-cloud” title=”References & Links”]
The Flying Cloud serves as an example of early Racine-built schooners in the local lumber trade and illustrates mid-19th century salvage practices, highlighting the weather vulnerability of low-tonnage vessels in open waters.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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