Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Frank G. Geele
- Type: Wooden cargo schooner
- Year Built: 1872
- Builder: Likely in Michigan or Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: string
- Location: Lake Michigan — likely near northern Michigan or Wisconsin shore
- Coordinates: string
- Official Number: string
- Original Owners: Operated by Barry Line, based in Michigan
- Number of Masts: string
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner engaged in general freight trade, primarily transporting coal and lumber.
Description
The Frank G. Geele was a wooden cargo schooner built in 1872, likely in the Michigan or Wisconsin region. At the time of her loss, she was empty and upbound to a loading port.
History
Operated by Barry Line, the Frank G. Geele was involved in the transportation of various goods across Lake Michigan. The vessel’s operational history is not extensively documented, but it was known for its role in the general freight trade.
Significant Incidents
- On August 28, 1887, while underway and heading upbound toward a northern port, the Frank G. Geele caught fire. The blaze spread rapidly, leading to the vessel burning down to the water’s edge, indicating a complete hull loss.
- There were three crew members aboard at the time of the fire, and fortunately, none perished.
Final Disposition
The Frank G. Geele was totally destroyed by fire and subsequently abandoned. There was no salvage, registration reinstatement, or reconstruction of the vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no known modern dive surveys or wreck identifications for the Frank G. Geele. Given the circumstances of the fire, it is likely that the remains sank in deep water or burned ashore and deteriorated.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”frank-g-geele-1872″ title=”References & Links”]
The Frank G. Geele represents a late-19th-century cargo schooner that met a tragic end due to fire while navigating Lake Michigan. Despite the loss, all crew members survived. The wreck remains unlocated and undocumented in modern databases, with limited records available regarding its registry and the fire’s origin.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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