Lady Macdonald – Lake Ontario Schooner Shipwreck (1892)

Explore the wreck of the Lady Macdonald, a wooden bark lost in a storm on Lake Ontario in 1892, with no casualties reported.

needs_location 3 sources on file
WaterbodyLake Ontario
Loss year1892
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Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Lady Macdonald
  • Type: Wooden bark (three-masted)
  • Year Built: circa 1873
  • Builder:
  • Dimensions:
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Location: Above Cobourg, Ontario
  • Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden bark, three-masted.

Description

The Lady Macdonald was a wooden bark built around 1873, primarily used for general freight, likely including lumber and sundries. Her home port was Kingston, Ontario.

History

The Lady Macdonald was constructed in the mid-1870s, as suggested by registry rarity. She was engaged in transporting general freight until her final voyage.

Significant Incidents

  • Final Voyage: On July 16, 1892, during a near-hurricane force windstorm, the Lady Macdonald was driven ashore above Cobourg, Ontario, along Lake Ontario’s north shore.
  • Outcome: The vessel was wrecked ashore and declared a total loss, with no casualties noted.
  • Estimated Loss: Approximately $3,500 in 1892 dollars.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the Lady Macdonald was confirmed by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, which also noted the high-wind incident and loss value.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As of now, the wreck site is not extensively documented, and further research may be needed to assess its current condition and accessibility.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”lady-macdonald-1873″ title=”References & Links”]

For those interested in the Lady Macdonald, archival records can be found at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, which maintains extensive files on Ontario-built bark vessels.

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Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.

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