Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mediterranean
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1859
- Builder: D. Rogers
- Dimensions: approx. 123 ft (37.5 m); Beam: 25 ft; Depth of hold: 10 ft
- Registered Tonnage: ~239 grt
- Location: Approximately 2 miles south of Sheboygan, WI
- Official Number: likely ~17029
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A two-masted wooden schooner typical of mid-19th-century Great Lakes trade—small, point-to-point bulk cargo vessel with simple rigging and limited deckhouse structure. She was engaged in plaster transport, a common building-material freight in that region and era.
Description
The Mediterranean was constructed in 1859 at Sodus Point, NY, and was primarily used for transporting plaster from Michigan quarries to building markets in Chicago. The vessel was wooden, with a length of approximately 123 feet, a beam of 25 feet, and a depth of 10 feet.
History
On 24 September 1891, Mediterranean encountered a violent gale shortly after departing Alabaster, MI, bound for South Chicago. Overwhelmed by wind and waves, she foundered and sank. The crew survived, being picked up by the schooner John Mee and landed safely. The vessel was reported as completely lost at sea; no wreck site has since been documented or surveyed.
Significant Incidents
- On 24 September 1891, Mediterranean foundered in a gale on Lake Michigan shortly after departure.
- The crew was rescued by the schooner John Mee, with no casualties reported.
Final Disposition
The Mediterranean was reported as completely lost at sea, and no modern discovery or documentation of wreck remains has occurred. The location may lie well offshore, and diving or sonar exploration may be required, but to date, no dives have been reported.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No Notices to Mariners or temporary hazard advisories were recorded at the time of loss; the wreck likely sank quickly and did not present a persistent surface danger. No later wreck markers are documented.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mediterranean” title=”References & Links”]
The Mediterranean represents a typical small plaster-transport schooner of the Great Lakes that succumbed to severe weather off Lake Michigan in autumn 1891. Despite a complete loss of vessel, the safe rescue of her crew is a fortunate outcome. Although unlocated, her documented presence and loss add to the record of late-19th-century maritime risks and warrant further investigative archival or sonar work.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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