Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Grand Turk
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1854
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Near Presque Isle, Michigan
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Grand Turk was a wooden, two-masted schooner designed for bulk cargoes typical of the mid-19th century Great Lakes trade, including lumber, cordwood, grain, or general merchandise.
Description
She was constructed with oak framing and pine planking, a single deck, a deep hold for carrying bulk cargo, and rigged fore-and-aft on two masts. The vessel had a shallow enough draft to serve many smaller ports around Lake Huron.
History
Launched in 1854, the Grand Turk was involved in a significant collision near Presque Isle during the fall of her first year in service (1854), where she was sunk and nearly destroyed. However, she was raised and repaired, returning to service for another 15 years.
On 17 November 1869, while anchored and attempting to ride out a powerful late-season storm near Presque Isle, the Grand Turk‘s anchor chains parted. The wind and waves drove her ashore, pounding her to pieces in the surf. One crew member perished in the wreck, while others escaped. The vessel was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Significant collision in 1854, leading to sinking and subsequent repairs.
- Lost in a storm on 17 November 1869, resulting in total loss and one fatality.
Final Disposition
Total constructive loss after grounding in 1869; no evidence of salvage or further use.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No diver or archaeological surveys have documented any remains of the Grand Turk near Presque Isle.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”grand-turk-1854″ title=”References & Links”]
The Grand Turk serves as a classic example of a lumber schooner that overcame early accidents but was ultimately lost to the fierce November storms so common on the Great Lakes. Her story — sunk in a collision soon after launch, then later wrecked in a gale — illustrates both the resilience and vulnerability of wooden vessels of her era.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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