Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Ann Lydon
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1874
- Builder: W. Yewell at Pontine shipyard
- Dimensions: Approx. 121 ft × 26 ft × 10 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.0 m); ~245 gross tons
- Registered Tonnage: 245 gross tons
- Location: South shore of Lake Ontario near Grand View Beach
- Official Number: C71162
- Original Owners: John Syden, J. Leydon, J. Lydon, J.F. Sowards
- Number of Masts: Two (some sources mention three)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-to-late 19th-century two-masted wooden schooner primarily used for regional cargo trade on Lake Ontario.
Description
Built with sturdy wooden construction and two masts, the Mary Ann Lydon had a single deck and held nearly 245 tons gross. She was capable of carrying general bulk cargoes such as lumber or grain.
History
- 1874: Launched and enrolled in Port Hope, Ontario.
- 1878–1879: Ownership continued under J. Leydon and J. Lydon in Port Hope.
- 1883: Lost the topmast head at Oswego, but underwent major repairs in 1884.
- 1884: Aground at Weller’s Bay, Lake Ontario, but successfully refloated after repairs.
- 1908: Went ashore about 4 miles west of Charlotte, NY; refloated with assistance in the spring of 1909.
- Post-1910: Converted to schooner-barge operations under new U.S. owner J.F. Sowards (Kingston).
Significant Incidents
- Grounded in 1908 and underwent repairs.
- Converted to a schooner-barge after 1910.
Final Disposition
On 14 October 1912, during a severe autumn storm, the Mary Ann Lydon was driven ashore on Lake Ontario’s south shore near Grand View Beach (Charlotte, NY vicinity). She broke apart in heavy surf and was declared a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No recorded discovery or archaeological assessment; likely remains in shallow beach zones, heavily fragmented and inaccessible.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mary-ann-lydon-c-71162″ title=”References & Links”]
The Mary Ann Lydon, a 19th-century schooner-turned-barge, endured multiple groundings, repairs, and a conversion before her final wreck in a fall storm in 1912. Her career reflects common patterns of vessel reuse and adaptation, ultimately ending amid Lake Ontario’s unpredictable autumn weather. Physical remnants are likely nonexistent today, but her operational history enriches the maritime timeline of the region.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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