Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: NEMESIS
- Type: schooner
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: Henry Marlton
- Dimensions: 70 ft (21.3 m) X 20 ft (6.1 m); Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 82 tons (later measured at 103 tons)
- Location: Bayfield, Ontario
- Official Number: 71149
- Original Owners: Waddell & Leonard; Horton, Spence & Gooding; H. Horton; John Spence
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner, designed for bulk cargo such as grain. A two-masted, general-use lake vessel common on the Great Lakes in the 19th century.
Description
- Builder: Henry Marlton
- Build Location: Goderich, Ontario
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
- Capacity: ~5,000 bushels
- Tonnage:
- Gross: 82 tons
- Later measurement (1879): 103 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 70 ft (21.3 m)
- Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
History
- 1868, Mar 20: Launched at Goderich, Ontario for Waddell & Leonard.
- 1869: Registered to Horton, Spence & Gooding.
- 1878: Ownership under H. Horton, Goderich.
- 1880: Registered to John Spence, also of Goderich.
- 1881, Sep 10: Grounded at Kincardine, Ontario, Lake Huron; later released.
- 1882: Received major repairs, suggesting extended service life.
- 1883, Nov 20: Drove ashore at Bayfield, Ontario during a severe hurricane on Lake Huron and wrecked beyond recovery.
Significant Incidents
- 1881: Grounded at Kincardine, Ontario, Lake Huron; later released.
- 1883: Wrecked in a hurricane-force storm off Bayfield, Ontario.
Final Disposition
Nemesis was completely wrecked in a violent storm off Bayfield on 20 November 1883. The incident coincides with one of several severe late-autumn storms that have claimed numerous vessels on Lake Huron. No cargo or crew loss details are specified in contemporary reports.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed modern rediscovery. Presumed either fully salvaged post-wreck or broken up near shore.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”nemesis-us-71149″ title=”References & Links”]
The Nemesis represents a typical 19th-century Lake Huron trading schooner — modest in size but integral to the grain and timber trades between Ontario port towns. Her final loss in the fall of 1883 underscores the hazards of late-season navigation on the Great Lakes. No physical remains are confirmed today, but her registry and career are well-documented in Canadian marine records.
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: NEMESIS
- Official Number: 71149
- Year Built: 1868
- Final Location: Bayfield, Ontario
- Lake: Huron
- Date Lost: 20 November 1883
- How Lost: Wrecked in a hurricane-force storm
- Final Cargo: Not specified
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner, designed for bulk cargo such as grain. A two-masted, general-use lake vessel common on the Great Lakes in the 19th century.
Description
- Builder: Henry Marlton
- Build Location: Goderich, Ontario
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Masts: 2
- Capacity: ~5,000 bushels
- Tonnage:
- Gross: 82 tons
- Later measurement (1879): 103 tons
- Dimensions:
- Length: 70 ft (21.3 m)
- Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
History
- 1868, Mar 20: Launched at Goderich, Ontario for Waddell & Leonard.
- 1869: Registered to Horton, Spence & Gooding.
- 1878: Ownership under H. Horton, Goderich.
- 1880: Registered to John Spence, also of Goderich.
- 1881, Sep 10: Grounded at Kincardine, Ontario, Lake Huron; later released.
- 1882: Received major repairs, suggesting extended service life.
- 1883, Nov 20: Drove ashore at Bayfield, Ontario during a severe hurricane on Lake Huron and wrecked beyond recovery.
Final Disposition
Nemesis was completely wrecked in a violent storm off Bayfield on 20 November 1883. The incident coincides with one of several severe late-autumn storms that have claimed numerous vessels on Lake Huron. No cargo or crew loss details are specified in contemporary reports.
Located By & Date Found
No confirmed modern rediscovery. Presumed either fully salvaged post-wreck or broken up near shore.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – Bowling Green State University
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Labadie Collection, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- Peter J. VanderLinden archives
- Canadian Register of Shipping (Historic)
Conclusion
The Nemesis represents a typical 19th-century Lake Huron trading schooner — modest in size but integral to the grain and timber trades between Ontario port towns. Her final loss in the fall of 1883 underscores the hazards of late-season navigation on the Great Lakes. No physical remains are confirmed today, but her registry and career are well-documented in Canadian marine records.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Keywords: schooner, storm loss, Goderich, Bayfield, grain trade, wooden vessel
Categories: Lake Huron wrecks, 19th-century schooners, Ontario-built vessels, storm wrecks
Glossary:
- Gross Tonnage: Total enclosed volume of a vessel.
- Bushels: Dry measure commonly used for grain.
- Hurricane (Great Lakes): Severe cyclonic systems producing gale or hurricane-force winds, often in late fall.