Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Jenny Lind
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder: unspecified Great Lakes shipyard
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Huron
- Coordinates: exact coordinates unknown
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner, used primarily for bulk freight, notably lumber and lath.
Description
The Jenny Lind was a merchant schooner typical of the mid-19th-century timber trade. Built in 1848, her full size and tonnage are not documented in searchable records. She was notable for running lumber cargo inbound to Toledo and capsized rapidly in a sudden spring gale.
History
On May 21, 1883, while approximately 20 miles above Port Huron, the Jenny Lind encountered a sudden gale and capsized with her cargo. No loss of life was recorded in this incident. The vessel was recovered ten days later by the tug Protection, stripped, and then scuttled in Chicago harbor. In November 1883, she was later flagged as wrecked on Lake Huron, with the cause likely being a seasonal storm that shifted the remaining timber debris.
Significant Incidents
- May 21, 1883: Capsized and sank in a gale while inbound from Muskegon, carrying lumber and lath.
- No loss of life recorded in this incident.
- Recovered ten days later by tug Protection, stripped, then scuttled in Chicago harbor.
- Later flagged in November 1883 as wrecked on Lake Huron; cause likely seasonal storm shifting remaining timber debris.
Final Disposition
The final resting place of the Jenny Lind is at the bottom of Lake Huron, with exact coordinates unknown. The debris drifted toward Chicago before sinking. No recorded dives or mapping expeditions have found the remains, which are presumably scattered or deeply buried.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No official Notice to Mariners references exist for the Jenny Lind. Scrapping and scuttling procedures suggest local harbor authorities mitigated navigational hazards without issuing formal advisories.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”jenny-lind-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The Jenny Lind represents a typical mid-19th-century lumber schooner lost during a sudden gale on Lake Huron. Capsizing with her cargo, the crew survived, and the vessel was recovered and scuttled. The later notation of wreckage in November 1883 suggests drifting debris or record-keeping lag. Lack of dives or known surveys indicates the physical site is unlocated and potentially irretrievable.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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