Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Knight Templar (1865)

Explore the wreck of the Knight Templar, a canal-sized schooner-barge, resting in shallow waters near Whitefish Point, accessible for divers and snorkelers.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Knight Templar
  • Type: Wooden schooner-barge (non-propelled, towed)
  • Year Built: 1865
  • Builder: George Goble in Oswego, New York
  • Dimensions: Canal-sized; detailed logs not found
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 1.5 m / 5 ft
  • Location: Whitefish Point area, Lake Huron — Isaacson Bay near Thunder Bay Sanctuary
  • Coordinates: N 45° 03.705′, W 083° 22.099′

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Knight Templar was a canal-sized schooner-barge, built specifically for tow service behind steam tugs—a common last-century practice combining economy and greater barging capacity.

Description

In a December gale, Knight Templar was overwhelmed by waves and driven onto shallow ground at Whitefish Point. The crew abandoned her, and the battered hull eventually broke apart in shallow waters, now resting in less than 5 feet (approximately 1.5 m) of water.

History

The wreck is featured in NOAA’s Thunder Bay Sanctuary condition reports, with coordinates confirmed. The nature of abandonment and wreck dispersal aligns with the demise of many similar barges in the early 20th century, as freight routes shifted away from Lake Huron.

Significant Incidents

  • Overwhelmed by storm; driven into shallow water, stranded and abandoned; later broke up on shoals.
  • No casualties reported.

Final Disposition

Stranded hull broke up; remains lie in shallow water near Isaacson Bay, inside the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck lies in a protected sanctuary zone, well known to divers; no navigational hazard due to shallow depth, except for diving presence. Visibility is typically good (5–15 ft), though shoal conditions can stir sediment. Hazards include shallow wreckage and strong nearshore currents; safe access with caution.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

Knight Templar (1865–1905) is an accessible, shallow-water wreck near Whitefish Point. Stranded during a storm, she was abandoned and broke apart. Today, she rests within the Thunder Bay Sanctuary, accessible for divers and snorkelers, and serves as an artifact of Great Lakes canal-barge heritage.