Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Onward
- Type: Fish tug
- Year Built: 1885
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Classified as a fish tug (towboat), the Onward was similar to other regionally common vessels specialising in fishing operations, likely with a turtle-back deck and enclosed cabin typical of early Great Lakes fish tugs.
Description
There are no surviving official measurements or builder records. However, as an 1885-built fish tug, its design probably featured a small, sturdy hull, enclosed wheelhouse, and screw propulsion—consistent with documented regional fishermen’s workboats.
The Onward is recorded only in loss data; no registry entries, owners’ names, or construction yard are documented in accessible records. It appears to have had a brief service life of roughly seven years.
History
The Onward was a small fish tug operating on Lake Michigan, with a service life that remains largely undocumented until its stranding and sinking in 1892 at Grand Traverse Bay.
Significant Incidents
- Date: 28 October 1892
- Location: Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan
- Fate: Stranded—driven against a pier during adverse weather and subsequently sank. The vessel was lost at the pier site.
Final Disposition
No known underwater remains to visit. The Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve lists numerous wrecks, but Onward is not among them.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not located underwater—no dive site or wreck imagery has been identified in the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve database, diver logs, or public archives.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”onward-1885″ title=”References & Links”]
The 1885 Onward was a small fish tug operating on Lake Michigan whose service remained undocumented until its unfortunate stranding and sinking in 1892 at Grand Traverse Bay. Unlike some wrecks in the preserve, it did not result in a diveable site, suggesting it may have ended up destroyed or salvaged at the pier. While it lacks the physical remains to explore today, the Onward contributes to the broader maritime history of commercial fishing tugs in the region.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →