Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mineral
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: ca. 1850
- Builder: Unknown, likely Ontario or eastern Lake Ontario region
- Dimensions: Length ~60-100 ft (18-30 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Not documented; described as carrying lumber
- Location: Near mouth of Black River at Kingston, Ontario
- Official Number: Ontario registry; removed post-incident
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Likely 2-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A river/lake schooner typical of mid-19th century timber trade, used for hauling lumber across Lake Ontario between Canadian and U.S. ports.
Description
No extant records provide exact dimensions or official registry details. Given contemporaries and cargo, estimated at ~50-120 tons and likely between 60-100 feet in length.
History
Little is recorded regarding prior voyages. On the fatal voyage of November 1860, Mineral struck aground in a storm near Kingston while carrying lumber to Oswego and was driven ashore and destroyed. No additional detail, owner, or crew information survives in the entry (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org).
Significant Incidents
- Loss Date: November 4, 1860
- Cause of Loss: Driven ashore by storm; wreck classified as total
- Crew Outcome: No fatalities recorded
Final Disposition
No modern rediscovery reported. Wreck likely dispersed near nearshore shoreline or buried by lake currents and sediment.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No official Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins preserved in historical records.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mineral-1860″ title=”References & Links”]
The schooner Mineral typifies the small-scale lumber vessels critical to mid-19th-century trade between Canada and the U.S. Although not a famous wreck, its loss exemplifies the perils of late-season storms on Lake Ontario and the vulnerability of timber ships. It adds to the broader narrative of storm-driven wrecks during this era, providing context to other similar losses near Kingston.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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