Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: John J. Audubon
- Type: Brig (wooden, square-rigged, two-masted)
- Year Built: 1854
- Builder: G. & W. Jones, Black River (Cleveland), Ohio
- Dimensions: Length 148 ft (45 m); Beam 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold 11 ft (3.35 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 370 tons (old style)
- Depth at Wreck Site: 52 m / 170 ft
- Location: 5 miles off Presque Isle, Michigan
- Coordinates: 45° 17.331′ N, 83° 20.351′ W
- Original Owners: Rufus Winslow, E.G. Merrick & D.C. Pierce
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The John J. Audubon was a classic brig — square-rigged on both masts — built to balance speed, stability, and cargo capacity. These vessels were central to mid-19th-century Great Lakes commerce, trading everything from grain to iron. Its hull shape was described as “approaching the clipper,” praised for its handling and sailing qualities.
Description
Launched in April 1854 by G. & W. Jones at Black River, Ohio, the John J. Audubon was hailed as a fine, well-crafted brig, with positive press coverage in Cleveland, Buffalo, and Detroit. She was designed for the high-speed grain, timber, and manufactured cargo trade between growing Great Lakes ports.
That October, only months into her career, the John J. Audubon departed for Chicago carrying a cargo of iron railroad rails. Around 1:30 a.m. on 21 October 1854, she was struck amidships by the southbound schooner Defiance in dense fog off Presque Isle, Michigan. The collision cut a hole deep into her wooden hull, causing the brig to sink rapidly.
Amazingly, both crews survived. Defiance, mortally damaged, also sank several miles away. It was a disastrous night in what was described by newspapers as “the most costly shipping season on the lakes to date,” with 70 vessels lost that autumn.
History
The John J. Audubon came to rest upright on the lakebed about 5 miles off Presque Isle in 52 metres (170 feet) of water. Her hull remains relatively intact, preserving her cargo of railroad iron and her classic brig structure.
The site was studied by Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau, who confirmed the wreck’s identity, and it is now recognized as a high-value archaeological site and dive destination for technical divers.
Significant Incidents
- First documented: 1980s by Great Lakes divers
- Surveyed: by Ballard & Cousteau teams, 1990s
- Mooring Buoy: Maintained seasonally by local dive charters and maritime agencies
Final Disposition
The wreck is charted on official hydrographic maps. No active Notmar warnings apply beyond standard diver cautions for entanglement, collapse risk, and depths requiring advanced/technical dive certifications.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Condition: Upright, largely intact, with visible collision damage
Marine Life: Freshwater mussels, burbot, occasional lake trout
Accessibility: Highly regarded deep/technical dive site with established mooring
Resources & Links
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The John J. Audubon is a striking example of the speed-driven maritime trade of the 1850s. Only months after her celebrated launch, she was lost in a tragic collision off Presque Isle. Today, she stands as a preserved time capsule of the brig era on the Great Lakes, a rare intact shipwreck at technical-diving depths. Her story is a vivid reminder of the hazards and heroism woven into the lake’s maritime past.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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