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

• Name: Mary Ann (sometimes spelled Mary Anna)
• Official Number: Not available
• Date Built & Launched: Likely mid- to late-1870s; small steam tug
• Tonnage & Dimensions: About 6 tons (register), steam-powered tug (metisnation.org, linkstothepast.com)
• Cargo at Loss: None
• Date Lost: 7 September 1882
• Place of Loss: Approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Tobermory, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron (linkstothepast.com)
• Circumstance: Steam tug en route—likely seeking shelter or performing towing—was overwhelmed by a sudden storm. The vessel foundered and sank; two crew members drowned (linkstothepast.com)

Vessel Type

Wooden steam tug designed for towing and harbor assistance along Georgian Bay and Lake Huron coastlines.

Description

A compact wooden-hulled steam tug, registered at just 6 tons, used for local harbor tasks and towing—her small size rendering her vulnerable to open-water gales on Georgian Bay.

History

Operating out of Goderich or potentially Owen Sound, Mary Ann served Lake Huron ports. On 7 September 1882, while east of Tobermory, she was caught in a sudden and violent storm, leading to rapid foundering. Two of her crew perished in the incident; whether the tug was towing at the time remains unclear. The vessel sank in moderate-depth open water, not having reached safe harbor.

Final Disposition

The tug fully foundered and sank following storm exposure—no evidence of salvage or recovery; hull presumed lost. The two crew are memorialized in the record of lost life.

Located By & Date Found

No modern rediscovery or documented wreck site exists. Wreck is absent from dive charts and underwater park listings near Tobermory.

Notations & Advisories

Without precise location data, the wreck poses no known navigational hazard. Mariners in the region remain unalerted to its presence.

Conclusion

The loss of Mary Ann on 7 September 1882 exemplifies the vulnerability of small steam tugs to sudden storms on Georgian Bay. Foundering without survivors highlights the magnitude of risk faced even by experienced crews on minor vessels. Her sinking remains undisturbed in deep water beyond Tobermory, absent from today’s dive routes but retained in historical vessel loss records.

Suggested Keywords & Glossary Terms: small steam tug, Georgian Bay wreck, foundering, Tobermory storm, 19th-century steam vessels
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks | Lake Huron losses | small tug steamship | crew fatalities

Let me know if you’d like assistance sourcing archival documents (e.g., crew lists or insurance records), survivor accounts, or exploring whether the wreck could be located or dived in the future!

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