Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Morning Light
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1857
- Builder: Presley & Stevens
- Dimensions: ~128 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (39.0 × 7.9 × 3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 256 tons (old-style)
- Location: Approximately 5 miles south of Ludington, Michigan
- Official Number: US 16410
- Number of Masts: Two masts
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th century Great Lakes schooner dedicated to carrying lumber and other bulk freight, built with a single deck and rigging suited for inland lake navigation. Her moderate tonnage and dimensions reflect her primary role in coastal trade.
Description
The Morning Light was a wooden-hulled schooner, characterized by her two masts and single deck, designed for the transportation of lumber and other goods across the Great Lakes.
History
- 1857: Registered in Chicago; engaged in coastal lumber and freight operations.
- Notable incidents:
- 1860 – Aground at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, and released.
- 1860 – Collision in Detroit River, requiring salvage.
- 1861 – Collision with brig Queen of the North in Detroit.
- 1867–1880 – Multiple repairs and grounding events across the Great Lakes.
- July 1882 – Sank at St. Helena Island, but was refloated and repaired.
- 23 November 1882: Laden with lumber and en route from Manistee to Chicago, Morning Light was caught in a late-November storm and driven ashore on the clay banks about 5 miles south of Ludington, MI. She became a total wreck.
Significant Incidents
- 1860 – Aground at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, and released.
- 1860 – Collision in Detroit River, requiring salvage.
- 1861 – Collision with brig Queen of the North in Detroit.
- 1867–1880 – Multiple repairs and grounding events across the Great Lakes.
- July 1882 – Sank at St. Helena Island, but was refloated and repaired.
Final Disposition
The schooner was irreparably damaged ashore in the storm. Her hull likely broke up in the surf and remains scattered along the shoreline. There was no salvage of major structure.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No dives or wreck surveys have documented her remains. Given the dynamic shoreline, any physical evidence has likely been buried or dispersed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”morning-light-us-16410″ title=”References & Links”]
The Morning Light illustrates the perilous nature of late-season Great Lakes navigation. After decades of service and surviving multiple incidents, her final journey ended under a powerful November storm that wrecked her on the Ludington shore. Despite the loss of the vessel, her crew escaped unscathed, and her story adds to the region’s rich maritime history.
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: Morning Light
- Built: 1857 in Cleveland, Ohio by Presley & Stevens
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, single deck, two masts
- Tonnage: Approximately 256 tons (old-style)
- Dimensions: ~128 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (39.0 × 7.9 × 3.4 m)
- Final loss date: 23 November 1882
- Location: Approximately 5 miles south of Ludington, Michigan, Lake Michigan
- Cargo: Lumber
- Loss type: Driven ashore and wrecked during a severe storm
- Casualties: None reported, crew survived
Vessel Type & Description
A mid‑19th century Great Lakes schooner dedicated to carrying lumber and other bulk freight, built with a single deck and rigging suited for inland lake navigation. Her moderate tonnage and dimensions reflect her primary role in coastal trade.
History & Final Voyage
- 1857: Registered in Chicago; engaged in coastal lumber and freight operations
- Notable incidents:
- 1860 – Aground at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, and released
- 1860 – Collision in Detroit River, requiring salvage
- 1861 – Collision with brig Queen of the North in Detroit
- 1867–1880 – Multiple repairs and grounding events across the Great Lakes
- July 1882 – Sank at St. Helena Island, but was refloated and repaired
- 23 November 1882: Laden with lumber and en route from Manistee to Chicago, Morning Light was caught in a late-November storm and driven ashore on the clay banks about 5 miles south of Ludington, MI. She became a total wreck. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, linkstothepast.com)
Final Disposition
The schooner was irreparably damaged ashore in the storm. Her hull likely broke up in the surf and remains scattered along the shoreline. There was no salvage of major structure.
Located By & Discovery Status
No dives or wreck surveys have documented her remains. Given the dynamic shoreline, any physical evidence has likely been buried or dispersed.
Notmar & Navigation Advisories
No official Notices to Mariners reference this specific wreck. However, the area south of Ludington is prone to autumn storms and shifting shorelines, posing seasonal hazards to vessels and beachgoers. Modern navigation charts mark offshore shoals—but beachwreck risks persist during high waves.
Resources & Links
- History of the Great Lakes – Wisconsin Genealogy notes: “Schooner Morning Light total wreck on clay banks south of Ludington.” (linkstothepast.com)
- M – Great Lakes Shipwreck Files confirms the date, location, cargo, and lack of casualties. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The Morning Light illustrates the perilous nature of late-season Great Lakes navigation. After decades of service and surviving multiple incidents, her final journey ended under a powerful November storm that wrecked her on the Ludington shore. Despite the loss of the vessel, her crew escaped unscathed, and her story adds to the region’s rich maritime history.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary
- Keywords: Morning Light wreck, Ludington schooner, 1882 storm loss, lumber schooner
- Categories: Wooden sailing schooners, storm-driven shore wrecks, late-season Great Lakes disasters
- Glossary:
- Old-style tonnage: Historical volumetric cargo measurement
- Grounding: When a vessel is forced onto shore or a shallow bottom
- Clay banks: Eroded Lake Michigan shoreline composed of clay, often sites of shipwrecks