Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Laura H. Lee
- Type: Wooden propeller motor tug
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: Albertson Brothers, Philadelphia
- Dimensions: Length 87 ft (26.5 m); Beam 24 ft (7.3 m); Depth of hold 6 ft (1.8 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Approx. 92 gross tons, 81 net tons
- Location: Meldrum Bay, North Channel, Lake Huron, Ontario
- Official Number: C130228
- Original Owners: E.P. Lee of Owen Sound (last known owner)
- Number of Masts: None
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Originally built as a schooner yacht, the Laura H. Lee was later reconfigured into a propeller tug and utilized for lumber hooking and packet runs. Powered by a motor after approximately 1923, she worked along the shores of Lake Huron, serving small communities and industries.
Description
Launched in 1864 as Juniata, she later operated under the names Wave Crest and finally Laura H. Lee after being sold to E.P. Lee of Owen Sound in 1923. By this time she had been converted into a motorised tug, supporting local maritime commerce in Northern Ontario’s inland waterways.
History
On October 23, 1929, while laid up at her dock in Meldrum Bay, heavy seas and a knocked-over kerosene lamp ignited a blaze that consumed the tug, destroying her to the waterline. There were no injuries. The wreck remained dockside and was likely disposed of or salvaged in due course.
Significant Incidents
- Fire occurred at her dock due to heavy seas and an overturned kerosene lamp.
- No injuries reported during the incident.
Final Disposition
The fire destroyed the Laura H. Lee to the waterline. The remains were visible immediately after the incident, though no marine wreck survey was conducted. The wreck was likely disposed of or salvaged later.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater wreck exists as the fire occurred openly at her dock. The remains were visible immediately after the incident.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”laura-h-lee-juniatawave-crest-c-130228″ title=”References & Links”]
The Laura H. Lee stands as an example of maritime adaptation—beginning as a schooner yacht in the U.S., later converted to a tug in Canada, and finally meeting her end by fire in 1929. Her loss underscores the enduring dangers of combustible fuels aboard wooden vessels, even in moored contexts.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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