Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Jennie Rumball
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: H. Marlton at Goderich, Ontario
- Dimensions: 97 × 26 × 8 ft; ~110 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 110 tons
- Location: Big Pike Bay, 1 mile offshore from Goderich, Ontario
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden Schooner – Built 1863, Lost October 9, 1882
Description
The Jennie Rumball was a two-masted wooden schooner constructed in 1863 by H. Marlton in Goderich, Ontario. It measured 97 feet in length, 26 feet in beam, and had a depth of hold of 8 feet, with a registered tonnage of approximately 110 tons.
History
The Jennie Rumball was primarily engaged in coastal commerce, transporting lumber and general freight along the shores of Lake Huron. On October 9, 1882, while bound from Providence Bay to Goderich, the vessel encountered rough weather that prevented it from tacking out to safety. As a result, it was pushed onto a reef about a mile offshore in Big Pike Bay.
Significant Incidents
During the grounding, the schooner was stripped of its rigging and gear. The vessel was ultimately battered beyond repair by the waves following the stranding.
Final Disposition
The Jennie Rumball was declared a total loss. After the grounding, the vessel was dismantled, with spars, blocks, and fittings removed before the hull broke apart due to wave action.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of now, the wreck of the Jennie Rumball is not accessible for salvage or recovery, and it remains a site of historical significance.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”jennie-rumball” title=”References & Links”]
The wreck of the Jennie Rumball serves as a reminder of the perils faced by 19th-century schooners operating along the Great Lakes, illustrating the challenges of coastal commerce and the typical practices of wreck abandonment during that era.
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.
Wooden Schooner – Built 1863, Lost October 9, 1882
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Jennie Rumball (occasionally referred to as “Jennie Rumbell” or “Rumble”)
- Built: 1863, by H. Marlton at Goderich, Ontario
- Dimensions: 97 × 26 × 8 ft; ~110 tons
- Type: Two‑masted wooden schooner
- Date of Loss: October 9, 1882
- Route: Bound from Providence Bay to Goderich, Ontario
- Location of Loss: Wrestled onto a reef 1 mile offshore in Big Pike Bay, Lake Huron
- Lake: Huron
Circumstances & Cause of Loss
During rough weather near shore, the schooner was unable to tack out and was pushed onto a reef about a mile from Goderich.
Following the stranding, she was stripped of rigging and gear, and ultimately battered beyond repair by waves.
Casualties
No crew were lost; accounts indicate all survived the grounding and abandonment.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss. The schooner was dismantled—spars, blocks, and fittings removed—before the hull broke apart from wave action.
Summary Table
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Built | 1863, Goderich, ON (H. Marlton) |
| Type | Wooden two-masted schooner, 110 t |
| Lost | Oct 9, 1882 – stranded in Big Pike Bay near Goderich, ON |
| Cause | Grounding during rough weather |
| Crew | Survived – no casualties reported |
| Disposition | Stripped, left to break up in waves |
Historical Significance
- Jennie Rumball showcases coastal commerce near the Bruce Peninsula and illustrates the hazards faced by schooners running lumber and general freight near shorelines.
- The stripping-and-abandonment pattern is typical of 19th-century wreck practices when salvage value didn’t justify full recovery.
Sources
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“R” list): detailed entry including build info, route, grounding, and salvage steps