Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mona
- Type: Scow-schooner (wooden)
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: S. Field in Black River, Ohio
- Dimensions: Approximately 88 ft (26.82 m) length × 22 ft beam × 7 ft draft
- Registered Tonnage: 102 gross tons, 96 net tons
- Location: Pointe Aux Barques, Lake Huron
- Official Number: 16442
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Mona was a wooden scow-schooner, a type of vessel commonly used in the lumber trade during the mid-19th century.
Description
Built in 1863 by S. Field in Black River, Ohio, the Mona measured approximately 88 feet in length, 22 feet in beam, and had a draft of 7 feet. She was registered at approximately 102 gross tons and 96 net tons.
History
The Mona was primarily engaged in the lumber trade. On September 10, 1887, while loaded with lumber and en route, she encountered a storm on Lake Huron. The vessel sprang a leak and was deliberately run ashore near Pointe Aux Barques to prevent sinking in open water.
Significant Incidents
- The Mona sprang a leak during a storm.
- She was deliberately run ashore to avoid sinking.
- The storm conditions prevented prompt salvage efforts.
- No casualties were reported; the crew survived.
Final Disposition
The vessel grounded and was abandoned as a total loss. No modern salvage or registry reactivation occurred.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater wreck site has been surveyed or documented. Given the early loss date and nearshore grounding, any remains would likely be dispersed, buried, or destroyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mona-us-16442″ title=”References & Links”]
The Mona was a mid-19th century scow-schooner built for the lumber trade. On September 10, 1887, while loaded and caught in a storm on Lake Huron, she sprang a leak and was set ashore near Pointe Aux Barques to save crew. She was lost as a total wreck. No lives were lost and no modern wreck identification or archaeological survey exists. The vessel’s final resting spot likely remains buried or dispersed along the shoreline.
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.
(built 1863; lost September 10, 1887)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mona
- Official number: 16442
- Built: 1863, by S. Field in Black River, Ohio
- Vessel Type: Scow‑schooner (wooden)
- Dimensions: Approximately 88 ft length × 22 ft beam × 7 ft draft; ~102 gross tons, 96 net tons
- Loss Date: September 10, 1887
- Loss Location: Lake Huron—near Pointe Aux Barques (Michigan)
Cargo & Operational Status
- Cargo at loss: Lumber
- She was loaded with lumber and was en route (likely north-to-south) when the incident occurred.
Circumstances of Loss
- Mona sprang a leak during a storm. Severely waterlogged and disabled, she was deliberately run ashore near Pointe Aux Barques to avoid sinking in open water.
- The storm conditions prevented prompt salvage, and she was wrecked onshore amid raging seas.
- Casualties: None reported—crew survived.
Final Disposition
- The vessel grounded and was abandoned as a total loss. No modern salvage or registry reactivation occurred.
Wreck Status
- No underwater wreck site has been surveyed or documented. Given the early loss date and nearshore grounding, any remains would likely be dispersed, buried, or destroyed.
Summary Table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Mona |
| Official No. | 16,442 |
| Built | 1863, Black River, Ohio (by S. Field) |
| Vessel Type | Wooden scow‑schooner |
| Dimensions | ~88 × 22 × 7 ft; ~102 gt / 96 nt |
| Cargo | Lumber |
| Loss Date | September 10, 1887 |
| Loss Location | Pointe Aux Barques, Lake Huron |
| Cause of Loss | Sprang a leak during storm; grounded and wrecked |
| Crew & Casualties | Crew survived; no fatalities reported |
| Fate | Abandoned ashore; total loss |
| Wreck Located | No documented survey or dive site |
Research Notes & Suggested Follow-Ups
- The primary summary is from the Great Lakes shipwreck index listing Mona‘s specifications, loss date, and wreck circumstances (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Medium).
- Additional context confirms typical practice of beaching leaking vessels in storms near Pointe Aux Barques to save lives but not the hull (linkstothepast.com).
- Gaps remain: crew identities, owner/operator information, salvage attempts, and first-hand accounts.
- To further document Mona, recommended steps include:
- Reviewing regional newspapers (e.g. Port Huron Times‑Herald, Detroit Free Press) from September 1887 for incident reports.
- Consulting port logs or harbor records for Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan, regarding the beaching.
- Investigating Canadian or U.S. registry archives for owner and master details.
Conclusion
Mona was a mid‑19th century scow‑schooner built for the lumber trade. On September 10, 1887, while loaded and caught in a storm on Lake Huron, she sprang a leak and was set ashore near Pointe Aux Barques to save crew. She was lost as a total wreck. No lives were lost and no modern wreck identification or archaeological survey exists. The vessel’s final resting spot likely remains buried or dispersed along the shoreline.
If you’d like assistance pursuing newspaper archives, registry files, or potential shore‑line reconnaissance, I’m ready to help.
mona-us-16442 1887-09-10 21:35:00