Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Omar
- Type: Single-deck, wooden schooner
- Year Built: Circa 1850
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Cleveland breakwater, Lake Erie
- Number of Masts: Likely two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Omar is classified as a single-deck, wooden schooner, likely equipped with two masts.
Description
The Omar was a wooden schooner that met its fate during a storm while navigating near the Cleveland harbor entrance. The vessel was unable to enter the harbor and struck the stone breakwater, leading to its grounding and subsequent wrecking.
History
Constructed circa 1850, the Omar played a significant role in the early Great Lakes salt trade, transporting salt to inland markets. The vessel’s service history reflects the maritime challenges of the era, particularly in storm-prone areas like Lake Erie.
Significant Incidents
- On 4 December 1854, the Omar struck the Cleveland stone breakwater during a storm, resulting in the vessel’s grounding and wrecking.
- Of the six crew members aboard, three drowned, along with one rescuer who attempted to save them.
Final Disposition
The Omar is presumed destroyed, with no extant wreckage documented. The site has undergone significant changes due to breakwater maintenance, likely burying any remaining artifacts beneath stone and silt.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current conditions at the wreck site are uncertain, as the area has been altered by construction and maintenance of the breakwater. No underwater surveys or artifact recoveries have been reported, leading to the presumption that the wreck is obliterated.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”omar-c1850″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Omar serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by mariners in the mid-19th century, particularly during rescue attempts in treacherous conditions.
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
- Vessel Name: Omar
- Year of Build: Circa 1850
- Type: Single-deck, wooden schooner (likely two-masted)
- Final Disposition: Stranded and wrecked on the Cleveland stone breakwater
- Date of Incident: 4 December 1854 (also reported as 5 December 1854) (Alchem Inc.)
- Location: Cleveland breakwater, Lake Erie
- Cargo: Salt (per one source) (Case Western Reserve University, Alchem Inc.)
- Crew Casualties: 3 of 6 crew drowned, along with 1 rescuer (Alchem Inc.)
Last Voyage & Loss Event
Navigating Lake Erie near the Cleveland harbor entrance amid a strong storm, the Omar was unable to enter the harbor and instead struck the stone breakwater late on the night of 4/5 December 1854. The violent impact fractured the hull, causing rapid flooding and then foundering onto the rocks. Of the six-man crew, only three survived as they mounted the rigging and awaited rescue; however, three crew members drowned. Tragically, a would-be rescuer from shore also lost his life in the rescue attempt (Alchem Inc.).
Wreck Site & Current Condition
With a considerable buildup of stone and causeway now present at the breakwater’s site in modern Cleveland harbor, the Omar (if any remains survive) is likely embedded beneath seasonal silt or removed during breakwater enhancements. No documented underwater surveys or artifact recoveries exist; the wreck is presumed obliterated by breakwater maintenance.
Historical Significance
- The Omar represents one of the earliest recorded casualties of Cleveland’s harbor, highlighting the maritime peril of Lake Erie’s storm-prone conditions—especially near wooden breakwaters.
- The loss of both multiple crew and a rescuer underscores the high risks in mid-19th-century rescue operations, prior to modern life-saving apparatus.
- As a salt cargo carrier, the vessel played an essential role in supplying inland markets during the early Great Lakes salt trade boom.
Key Details
- Build Period: Circa 1850
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner (two-mast, single deck)
- Cause of Loss: Storm-induced grounding on breakwater
- Human Toll: 4 lives lost (3 crew + rescuer)
- Cargo: Salt
- Location: Cleveland stone breakwater, Lake Erie
- Wreck Status: Presumed destroyed; no extant wreckage
Research Opportunities
- Could be cross-referenced with contemporary newspapers like the Cleveland Herald or Plain Dealer to triangulate survivor statements or harbor-entry delays.
- Examination of 1850s U.S. Life-Saving Service logs or Cleveland harbor master records may reveal more precise rescue details.