Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Harvey Ransom
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1887
- Builder: Likely at a Great Lakes shipyard
- Dimensions: Unknown
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: Along the Lake Michigan shore (near bluff)
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A late-19th/early-20th-century wooden schooner, likely used for bulk or retail freight along the Michigan coast.
Description
Records indicate she turned into a protective inshore stance to wait out a gale on 1 November 1913. While stationary near the bluff, a large wave lifted the bow, forcing her onto the beach. She grounded hard and broke apart in the surf. No fatalities occurred; crew survived onshore.
History
- Great Lakes Storm of 1913 Context: This powerful storm (7–10 November 1913) sank 19 ships, stranded many others, causing over 250 lives lost.
- Though relatively minor, Harvey Ransom was among those affected—driven ashore on the storm’s flank.
- Her exact rescue and beaching details are unreported, but her hull likely disintegrated quickly post-stranding.
Significant Incidents
- No contemporary navigational hazards tied to her wreck. Her remains likely broken and scattered near the bluff.
Final Disposition
Wreckage was abandoned post-grounding; the vessel was declared a total loss. No salvage operation is recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no dive or archaeological records. The site is uncharted and has received scant attention from charting or maritime historians.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”harvey-ransom-1887″ title=”References & Links”]
The Harvey Ransom represents one of the many smaller schooners that were caught up in the broad sweep of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Although overshadowed by large-scale tragedies, her grounding illustrates the perils faced even when seeking safety from the storm. That she was driven ashore by a wave while stationary underscores the violence of the event’s outer margins.
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: Harvey Ransom
- Built: 1887 (likely at a Great Lakes shipyard)
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner (exact dimensions and tonnage not found)
- Cargo at Loss: Sought shelter in a storm under a bluff off Lake Michigan — cargo details unknown
- Crew: None lost, all rescued
- Date Lost: 1 November 1913
- Final Location: Along the Lake Michigan shore (near bluff)—driven ashore by surf after a wave lifted her bow; later broke apart (genarchives.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)
Vessel Type
A late-19th/early-20th-century wooden schooner, likely used for bulk or retail freight along the Michigan coast.
Description
Records indicate she turned into a protective inshore stance to wait out a gale on 1 November 1913. While stationary near the bluff, a large wave lifted the bow, forcing her onto the beach. She grounded hard and broke apart in the surf. No fatalities occurred; crew survived onshore.
History & Loss
- Great Lakes Storm of 1913 Context: This powerful storm (7–10 November 1913) sank 19 ships, stranded many others, causing over 250 lives lost (en.wikipedia.org).
- Though relatively minor, Harvey Ransom was among those affected—driven ashore on the storm’s flank.
- Her exact rescue and beaching details are unreported, but her hull likely disintegrated quickly post-stranding.
Final Disposition
Wreckage was abandoned post-grounding; the vessel was declared a total loss. No salvage operation is recorded.
Located By & Date Found
There are no dive or archaeological records. The site is uncharted and has received scant attention from charting or maritime historians.
Notations & Advisories
No contemporary navigational hazards tied to her wreck. Her remains likely broken and scattered near the bluff.
Conclusion
The Harvey Ransom represents one of the many smaller schooners that were caught up in the broad sweep of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Although overshadowed by large-scale tragedies, her grounding illustrates the perils faced even when seeking safety from the storm. That she was driven ashore by a wave while stationary underscores the violence of the event’s outer margins.
Suggested Keywords: Harvey Ransom schooner, 1913 storm grounding, Lake Michigan beach wreck
Suggested Categories:
- Great Lakes shipwrecks
- 1913 storm-related losses
- wooden schooner groundings
Resources & Links
- Wikipedia – Great Lakes Storm of 1913: Context on the broader event impacting schooners like Harvey Ransom(genarchives.com, en.wikipedia.org)
- List of shipwrecks of 1913: Includes Harvey Ransom among vessels stranded and wrecked, although lightly documented