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: Unidentified Oswego 10
• Type: Presumed to be a wooden schooner or small cargo vessel
• Location: Near Oswego, New York, Lake Ontario
• Depth: Estimated to be within recreational diving limits, likely around 10 fathoms (18.3 meters / 60 feet)

Description: This wreck shows characteristics of mid-19th-century cargo schooners. The vessel’s remains are partially intact, with some sections of the hull and cargo areas visible. Identifying this vessel has been difficult due to the lack of unique identifying features.
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION
The Unidentified Oswego 10 is presumed to be a mid-19th-century wooden schooner or small cargo vessel. Such ships were common on Lake Ontario during that era, typically used for transporting goods such as grain, timber, and other commodities between ports. The wreck’s structure suggests it was a functional vessel designed for practicality and utility rather than luxury or speed.
HISTORY
The history of the Unidentified Oswego 10 remains elusive due to the lack of unique identifying features on the wreck. Mid-19th-century schooners were the workhorses of the Great Lakes, often constructed quickly and without elaborate detail, which makes distinguishing one from another particularly challenging.
Oswego, New York, was a significant port during the 19th century, serving as a hub for trade and transportation on Lake Ontario. Numerous schooners and small cargo vessels would have regularly sailed to and from this port, carrying a variety of goods to support the burgeoning industries and populations around the Great Lakes.
The vessel’s current state suggests it may have met its end during one of the many storms that frequently swept across Lake Ontario, or perhaps through a collision with another vessel or the rocky shoreline near Oswego. However, without more distinct features or records, the exact circumstances of its sinking remain speculative.
FINAL DISPOSITION
The wreck of the Unidentified Oswego 10 lies undisturbed near Oswego, New York, resting within recreational diving limits at an estimated depth of 10 fathoms (18.3 meters / 60 feet). The vessel is partially intact, with sections of the hull and cargo areas still visible. The identity of the ship remains unknown, and it is one of the many unidentified shipwrecks that dot the bothttps://shotlinediving.comwp-content/uploads/52895851813_b64678c0f7_c.jpg of Lake Ontario.
LOCATED BY & DATE
Discovered By: Local divers/researchers; specific details of the discovery are unclear
Date of Discovery: Not precisely documented
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES
No formal notices to mariners (NOTMARs) have been issued for this site, as it is not widely recognized as a significant navigational hazard. However, divers should exercise caution when exploring the site due to the potential for entanglement or the presence of unstable structures.
RESOURCES & LINKS
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Maritime History of the Great Lakes
3D Shipwrecks
David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Unidentified Oswego 10 stands as a silent witness to the bustling maritime activity that once characterized Lake Ontario. Its story, though largely unknown, is a part of the broader tapestry of Great Lakes history, where countless ships braved the waters, many of them meeting their end in the lake’s depths. The wreck remains a point of interest for divers and researchers, offering a glimpse into the past and the enduring mysteries of the Great Lakes.
Lake Ontario
Oswego
Unidentified Shipwreck
Wooden Schooner
Mid-19th Century
Great Lakes Maritime History
Recreational Diving