Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Gertrude
- Type: Wooden merchant schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Milwaukee area (likely)
- Dimensions: 81 ft (24.7 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Otter Creek, north of Two Rivers, Wisconsin
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden two-masted schooner, used in local trade, predominantly transporting firewood.
Description
Constructed mid-19th century in traditional Great Lakes fashion: wooden hull, two masts, cargo hold sized appropriately for local bulk goods. Robustly built to carry dense cargo like firewood, but relatively small and lightly outfitted. No engine—pure sail propulsion.
History
Final Voyage: On October 23, 1880, while sheltering at anchor during a storm along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Michigan, the Gertrude‘s anchor chain parted. The vessel was driven ashore—wreaked upon the beach at Otter Creek, just north of Two Rivers (Manitowoc County) (2manitowoc.com, AP News).
Outcome: The schooner was completely wrecked; no mention of casualties, suggesting the crew likely survived.
Significant Incidents
- Anchoring chain failure highlights vulnerability of small vessels in storms, particularly in shallow or exposed anchorages.
Final Disposition
Went ashore and broke up in situ. Given the description, there were no salvage attempts, and the vessel was abandoned as a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Location: Beached at Otter Creek, approximately 12 miles north of Two Rivers, Wisconsin – within Michigan territorial waters along Lake Michigan shoreline (2manitowoc.com).
- Condition: As a beach wreck, only timbers and framing likely remain, periodically exposed in low water or shifting sands. No diver survey has been documented.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”gertrude-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
While not dramatic, the wreck of the Gertrude typifies the fate of small coastal schooners in late-19th century Great Lakes trade. The vessel’s stranding due to anchor failure underscores the operational risks of storm anchorage. Her remains—likely scattered timbers on the beach—offer limited archaeological potential, but valuable archival sources (e.g., newspapers, service reports) could reveal crew experiences and enhance documentation. Targeted archival research, shoreline surveys, or local oral history would enrich the site profile and support heritage education.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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