Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Napoleon
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Ontario, near an unspecified shore location
- Original Owners: Dundas, Ontario
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Napoleon was a wooden-hulled schooner, typical of the 1850s Great Lakes trade, designed for carrying general bulk cargoes across Lake Ontario. Schooners of this class were usually two- or three-masted, built to endure harsh weather while maintaining shallow-draft capabilities for port access.
Description
Built in 1853, the Napoleon served the trade routes of Lake Ontario out of Dundas, Ontario. These schooners were indispensable to the Canadian grain, lumber, and general goods trades, linking Upper Canada with U.S. ports around the lake.
On 2 December 1856, a severe gale drove the vessel ashore, where she grounded heavily. Some accounts suggest that following her grounding, the schooner may have caught fire, resulting in a total loss of the vessel. No salvage was reported, and there are no records of casualties.
History
The Napoleon was considered a total loss after the grounding and possible fire. Her location onshore was not precisely documented, but she was never returned to service.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded on 2 December 1856 due to a severe gale.
- Possible fire following grounding, leading to total loss.
- No reported crew casualties.
Final Disposition
The Napoleon was considered a total loss after the grounding and possible fire. Her location onshore was not precisely documented, but she was never returned to service.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Given the vessel’s destruction more than 165 years ago and the possibility of fire, there are likely no structural remains. The wreck site is not an active dive target and no known debris field has been identified.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”napleon-1853″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Napoleon highlights the vulnerability of mid-19th-century schooners to both storms and accidental fires, especially when driven ashore in severe conditions. Though her final position is uncertain, she serves as a reminder of the hazards faced by Great Lakes sailors in the age of sail.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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