Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: LaFrinier
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1862
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Michigan (specific shoal not precisely recorded, but near Michigan waters)
- Original Owners: Not conclusively documented
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Lafrinier was a wooden schooner, built with a deep hold and fore-and-aft rig for the bulk trade, carrying heavy cargoes like coal, grain, and lumber throughout the upper Great Lakes.
Description
Constructed with oak framing and pine planking, she featured a single deck, broad cargo holds, and two masts. Her relatively shallow draft made her practical for accessing smaller harbours, but still able to carry significant cargo tonnage.
History
The Lafrinier was launched in 1862 and worked the Great Lakes coal trade for over two decades. On 9 November 1886, while carrying coal and battling a fierce gale on Lake Michigan, she struck a shoal. Pounded by the seas, she was wrecked and broke up on the shoal.
Her crew managed to reach shore, but they suffered great hardship in the cold November conditions before they were rescued, enduring exposure and hunger for an extended period.
Significant Incidents
- On 9 November 1886, the Lafrinier struck a shoal during a fierce gale on Lake Michigan, leading to her wreck.
- All crew members survived but faced severe hardships before being rescued.
Final Disposition
Declared a total constructive loss after breaking up; no salvage or rebuilding reported.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological or diver survey has documented the wreck of the Lafrinier on the shoal.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lafrinier-1862″ title=”References & Links”]
The Lafrinier demonstrates the perils faced by coal schooners running late-season loads on Lake Michigan. Her grounding on a shoal during a November gale, coupled with her crew’s harsh struggle for survival, is a powerful reminder of how unforgiving the Great Lakes could be.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: Lafrinier
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1862
- Owner: Not conclusively documented
- Cargo: Coal
- Date lost: 9 November 1886
- Location: Lake Michigan (specific shoal not precisely recorded, but near Michigan waters)
- Crew: All survived, but endured severe hardship
Vessel Type
The Lafrinier was a wooden schooner, built with a deep hold and fore-and-aft rig for the bulk trade, carrying heavy cargoes like coal, grain, and lumber throughout the upper Great Lakes.
Description
Constructed with oak framing and pine planking, she featured a single deck, broad cargo holds, and two masts. Her relatively shallow draft made her practical for accessing smaller harbours, but still able to carry significant cargo tonnage.
History
The Lafrinier was launched in 1862 and worked the Great Lakes coal trade for over two decades. On 9 November 1886, while carrying coal and battling a fierce gale on Lake Michigan, she struck a shoal. Pounded by the seas, she was wrecked and broke up on the shoal.
Her crew managed to reach shore, but they suffered great hardship in the cold November conditions before they were rescued, enduring exposure and hunger for an extended period.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total constructive loss after breaking up; no salvage or rebuilding reported.
Located By & Date Found
No modern archaeological or diver survey has documented the wreck of the Lafrinier on the shoal.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Lafrinier demonstrates the perils faced by coal schooners running late-season loads on Lake Michigan. Her grounding on a shoal during a November gale, coupled with her crew’s harsh struggle for survival, is a powerful reminder of how unforgiving the Great Lakes could be.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Lake Michigan
- Coal trade
- Great Lakes storms
- Shipwreck
- November loss
- Maritime history
- Crew survival
If you’d like, I can help dig into survivor accounts or local Michigan newspaper coverage from 1886 — just say the word!
lafrinier-1862 1886-11-09 14:24:00