Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: MAGGIE M. AVERY
- Type: Wooden Scow-Schooner
- Year Built: 1888
- Builder: Unknown, South Arm, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 49 ft (14.9 m); Beam: 12 ft (3.7 m); Depth of hold: 4 ft (1.2 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 13 tons
- Location: South Manitou Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 92065
- Original Owners: Mary E. Gykes (or Dykes), Grand Haven, Michigan
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The MAGGIE M. AVERY was a wooden scow-schooner, a flat-bottomed sailing vessel commonly used on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century.
Description
At 49 feet in length, the MAGGIE M. AVERY was a small cargo vessel, used mainly for short-distance trade between Michigan ports.
History
The MAGGIE M. AVERY operated for six years, primarily transporting brick and other bulk cargo between Michigan ports before being lost in a storm in 1894.
Significant Incidents
- 1888: Built in South Arm, Michigan, for Great Lakes trade.
- June 15, 1889: Left Traverse City for Charlevoix, a 50-mile journey.
- June 21, 1889: Declared missing, presumed sunk in a squall on June 15. Both crewmen were from Charlevoix.
- Later found and returned to service.
- 1894, September 28: Lost in South Manitou Harbor during a storm.
Final Disposition
The MAGGIE M. AVERY was lost on September 28, 1894, after dragging anchor and running aground in South Manitou Harbor during a storm.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the MAGGIE M. AVERY‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near South Manitou Island, Lake Michigan.
Due to its small size and wooden construction, it is likely buried beneath shifting sands or deteriorated over time.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”maggie-m-avery-us-92065″ title=”References & Links”]
The MAGGIE M. AVERY was a small, hardworking scow-schooner that operated for six years before meeting its final fate in a storm at South Manitou Harbor in 1894. Its story is one of resilience, as it was presumed lost in 1889 but later returned to service—only to finally succumb to Lake Michigan’s unpredictable storms.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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