Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Goshawk (1866)

Explore the wreck of the Goshawk, a wooden schooner that sank in 1920 after 54 years of service, highlighting the challenges faced by older vessels in stormy conditions.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Goshawk
  • Type: Wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1866
  • Builder: Likely in a Michigan shipyard (specific yard TBD)
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: string
  • Location: Off Tawas Point, Lake Huron
  • Coordinates: string
  • Official Number: string
  • Original Owners: string
  • Number of Masts: string

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Goshawk was a wooden schooner primarily utilized for lumber transport. Her design and construction reflect the mid-19th-century shipbuilding techniques prevalent in the Great Lakes region.

Description

The Goshawk was engaged in the lumber trade at the time of her sinking. She was noted for her durability and long service life, being one of the oldest operating vessels on the lakes at the time of her loss.

History

Built in 1866, the Goshawk served for 54 years before her demise. She exemplified the durability of wooden schooners and played a significant role in mid-lake freight operations.

Significant Incidents

  • On June 16, 1920, while navigating during a storm off Tawas Point, the Goshawk took on heavy seas.
  • Her hull seams separated under the stress of the storm, leading to rapid flooding.
  • The vessel sank stern-first, but fortunately, no casualties were recorded as the crew was rescued by nearby vessels.
  • At the time of her loss, the Goshawk was among the oldest active schooners on the Great Lakes.

Final Disposition

The Goshawk sank due to structural failure of her hull seams during a storm. Her wreck marks the end of a significant era in Great Lakes maritime history.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck site is likely located off Tawas Point in water depths ranging from 50 to 150 feet. The remains are expected to be a broken, waterlogged hull with potential structural collapse.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”goshawk-1866″ title=”References & Links”]

Documenting the wreck of the Goshawk would preserve a tangible link to Great Lakes maritime heritage and provide insights into the challenges faced by wooden vessels in adverse weather conditions.

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: Goshawk
  • Built: 1866, likely in a Michigan shipyard (specific yard TBD)
  • Type: Wooden schooner, utilized primarily for lumber transport
  • Loss Date: June 16, 1920
  • Last Voyage: Engaged in the lumber trade (cargo unspecified but consistent with her career role)
  • Final Fate: “Her seams opened in a storm and she sank. She was one of the oldest operating vessels on the lakes at the time (54 years)” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Incident & Final Disposition

  • While under way during a storm on Lake Huron off Tawas Point, the schooner took on heavy seas.
  • Her hull seams separated under stress, causing rapid flooding.
  • She sank stern-first; no casualties were recorded—crew were rescued by nearby vessels.
  • At the time of her loss, at 54 years old, the Goshawk was among the oldest active schooners on the Great Lakes (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Historical & Technical Significance

  • A long-serving vessel, Goshawk exemplified mid-19th-century wooden schooner durability and mid-lake freight operations.
  • Her demise highlights the structural vulnerabilities of older wooden hulls under modern storm loads.
  • As one of the few pre–Civil War vessels still in service by 1920, her wreck marks the end of a significant era in Great Lakes maritime history.

Archival & Research Gaps

  • Construction Details: Yard location, dimensions (length, beam, depth), tonnage, and enrollment data.
  • Crew & Ownership: Names of skipper and crew; vessel owner at time of sinking.
  • Cargo Details: Precise cargo manifest and loading report.
  • Weather Conditions: Storm specifics—wind, wave height—on June 16, 1920, via NOAA or Environment Canada archives.
  • Rescue Details: Identifying rescuing vessel(s) and recovery logs.

Wreck & Field Survey Potential

  • Probable Wreck Area: Off Tawas Point, Lake Huron—water depth likely ranges from 50–150 ft.
  • Remains: Likely a broken, waterlogged hull with structural failure at the seams; timber collapse probable, but iron fasteners and ballast may remain.
  • Survey Recommendations:
    • Historical Chart Review: Identify likely navigation routes on June 16, 1920.
    • Remote Survey: Side-scan sonar and magnetometer search west of Tawas Point.
    • Diver Reconnaissance or ROV Deployment: To confirm the presence and condition of wreck remains.

Next Steps

  • Archive Requests:
    • Enrollment logs and build specs (National Archives, U.S. Coast Guard District).
    • Inland seas shipping registers (1920).
  • Newspaper Retrieval:
    • June 1920 editions of Tawas Herald, Detroit Free Press, or Saginaw News for sinking reportage.
  • Weather Data Collection:
    • NOAA historical storm records for mid-June 1920 in Tawas/Huron region.
  • Field Reconnaissance Strategy:
    • Collaboration with Great Lakes maritime archaeologists and dive operators for sonar mapping and underwater inspection.

Summary

The Goshawk was a venerable wooden schooner whose service life spanned from 1866 to 1920. Her final demise in a storm, caused by hull seam failure, marked the end of her long operational history—and signified the fading era of 19th-century schooners on the Great Lakes. Documenting her wreck would preserve a tangible link to Great Lakes maritime heritage.

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