Orontes (1856)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Orontes
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1856
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: 557 tons
• Location: Lake Huron

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Constructed as a large wooden schooner in 1856, Orontes was built to transport bulk cargo—primarily lumber—across the upper Great Lakes. At 557 gross tons, she reflects the mid-19th-century evolution of cargo schooner design, oriented for maximum capacity rather than manoeuvrability. Masts and rigging suited for lake trade, with limited ability to weather heavy storms, marked her construction and operational purpose.

Description

Orontes was declared a total loss following her foundering. No documented salvage or recovery actions were recorded; the vessel sank intact or partially intact with her cargo. The exact wreck location is not identified in archival records and no documented dive or archaeological survey has taken place.

History

• 1856–1883: Operated primarily in the lumber trade, connecting Lake Huron’s booming forestry ports (e.g., Port Huron, Saginaw) to markets across the lake, including Chicago and Detroit
• 1883 Incident: On May 20 of that year, while laden with lumber, Orontes was caught in a sudden, severe storm on Lake Huron. She began to founder amid the gale, ultimately sinking to the lake bottom. Despite loss of ship, her crew survived, apparently abandoning ship before disaster struck.

Significant Incidents

• May 20, 1883: Caught in a severe storm on Lake Huron, Orontes foundered while carrying lumber. All crew members survived.

Final Disposition

Orontes was declared a total loss following her foundering. No documented salvage or recovery actions were recorded; the vessel sank intact or partially intact with her cargo. The exact wreck location is not identified in archival records and no documented dive or archaeological survey has taken place.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Presumed Condition: Likely largely disintegrated due to wood degradation and bottom scavenging; any remaining structure may be buried under sediment.
• Accessibility: No official dive surveys exist. Based on typical depths in mid-Lake Huron and absence of site recordings, Orontes remains formally undocumented—status unknown for potential archaeological assessment.

Resources & Links

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Orontes serves as a representative case of mid-19th-century Great Lakes lumber schooners—large, wooden-hulled vessels built for hauling heavy bulk freight across volatile inland waters. Her loss in May 1883, without casualties, highlights both the perils faced by mariners of that era and their resilience. Despite her significant size and cargo, no site documentation or wreck survey exists, indicating a gap in the maritime historical record.