Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mariner
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Near Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Details & Construction
- Name: Mariner
- Built: 1852 (exact yard unknown)
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Purpose: Bulk cargo transport—primarily lumber and coal based on vessel records
- Official Registrations: Operated on Lake Michigan with documented voyages from Menominee (MI) to Kewaunee (WI)
Description
Wreck Site & Archaeological Condition
- Approximate Location: Shallow waters near Green Bay or its approaches—likely near shore, accessible by divers.
- Condition: Likely broken hull remains with scattered cargo and possibly embedded mast or framing; no formal survey has been publicized.
History
Final Voyage & Loss – July 10, 1895, Lake Michigan / Green Bay
- While en route from Menominee to Kewaunee carrying lumber, the Mariner sprang a leak mid-lake.
- She was navigated (“sailed”) toward Green Bay, attempting to reach shelter.
- The vessel ultimately grounded and was wrecked on a shallow area near Green Bay—considered a total loss.
- No fatalities were reported.
- Official documentation confirms her dated listing in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files as lost due to hull failure and stranding, with no loss of life.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- Leakage during a routine lumber transport voyage.
- Grounding near Green Bay leading to total loss of the vessel.
Final Disposition
Source & Documentation
- Referenced in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“M” section) which logs her build, cargo, leak, grounding, and abandonment.
- Historical trade routes confirm the Menominee–Kewaunee lumber corridor was active and commonly traversed by wooden schooners during the late 19th century.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Research Gaps & Next Steps
| Research Focus | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Detailed Build Info | Search 1852 registries (Menominee or Kewaunee port records) for builder, dimensions, tonnage |
| Crew & Master | Examine Kewaunee & Menominee newspapers (July 1895) for crew interviews or incident coverage |
| Leak Analysis | Locate weather logs or known storm systems over Lake Michigan around July 10, 1895, that could have stressed the hull |
| Site Survey | Conduct side-scan sonar and diver survey near Green Bay shoreline to locate hull fragments or cargo concentrations |
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mariner-1852″ title=”References & Links”]
Historical & Archaeological Significance
The Mariner, a mid-century wooden schooner, typifies the culmination of sail-based bulk transport on Lake Michigan. Her demise due to hull leakage during a routine lumber voyage underscores the fragility of aging wooden ships. Though no lives were lost, documenting her wreck could fill an important gap in historical commerce vessel archaeology.
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.
Vessel Details & Construction
- Name: Mariner
- Built: 1852 (exact yard unknown)
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Purpose: Bulk cargo transport—primarily lumber and coal based on vessel records
- Official Registrations: Operated on Lake Michigan with documented voyages from Menominee (MI) to Kewaunee (WI)
Final Voyage & Loss – July 10, 1895, Lake Michigan / Green Bay
- While en route from Menominee to Kewaunee carrying lumber, the Mariner sprang a leak mid-lake.
- She was navigated (“sailed”) toward Green Bay, attempting to reach shelter.
- The vessel ultimately grounded and was wrecked on a shallow area near Green Bay—considered a total loss.
- No fatalities were reported.
- Official documentation confirms her dated listing in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files as lost due to hull failure and stranding, with no loss of life.
Wreck Site & Archaeological Condition
- Approximate Location: Shallow waters near Green Bay or its approaches—likely near shore, accessible by divers.
- Condition: Likely broken hull remains with scattered cargo and possibly embedded mast or framing; no formal survey has been publicized.
Source & Documentation
- Referenced in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“M” section) which logs her build, cargo, leak, grounding, and abandonment.
- Historical trade routes confirm the Menominee–Kewaunee lumber corridor was active and commonly traversed by wooden schooners during the late 19th century.
Research Gaps & Next Steps
| Research Focus | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Detailed Build Info | Search 1852 registries (Menominee or Kewaunee port records) for builder, dimensions, tonnage |
| Crew & Master | Examine Kewaunee & Menominee newspapers (July 1895) for crew interviews or incident coverage |
| Leak Analysis | Locate weather logs or known storm systems over Lake Michigan around July 10, 1895, that could have stressed the hull |
| Site Survey | Conduct side-scan sonar and diver survey near Green Bay shoreline to locate hull fragments or cargo concentrations |
Historical & Archaeological Significance
The Mariner, a mid-century wooden schooner, typifies the culmination of sail-based bulk transport on Lake Michigan. Her demise due to hull leakage during a routine lumber voyage underscores the fragility of aging wooden ships. Though no lives were lost, documenting her wreck could fill an important gap in historical commerce vessel archaeology.
mariner-1852 1895-07-10 21:14:00