Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Outward Bound (1846)

Explore the tragic story of the Outward Bound, a wooden schooner lost in Lake Michigan during a storm in 1849, claiming all hands aboard.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: OUTWARD BOUND
  • Type: Schooner
  • Year Built: 1846
  • Builder: DeGroate Ship Yard
  • Dimensions: Length: 117.3 ft (35.7 m); Beam: 24 ft (7.3 m); Depth: 10 ft (3.0 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 260.21 tons
  • Location: Manitou Passage, upper Lake Michigan
  • Original Owners: L.O. Matthews & partners, later Thomas Richmond
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

OUTWARD BOUND was a large two-masted wooden schooner purpose-built for the booming grain trade between the Great Lakes ports of Buffalo, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Designed for heavy cargoes, she was typical of mid-19th century schooners with a single deck, deep hold, and broad beam for stability under load.

Description

The OUTWARD BOUND had a dramatic but brief service life marked by repeated misfortunes:
• 1846: Enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio, and soon after sold to Buffalo, New York parties for service in the grain trade from Milwaukee and Chicago.
• 1847, September 28: Driven over Racine Reef and into the shallows of Lake Michigan while loaded with grain for Buffalo; lost half of her cargo, freed and laid up for winter repairs.
• 1848, October 26: Struck by a sudden squall north of Chicago while grain-laden, dismasted, and lost much of her rigging; towed into Chicago for repairs and winter layup.
• 1848: Thomas Richmond acquired controlling interest and registered the vessel home port as Chicago, Illinois.
• 1849, April 17: Outward Bound departed Chicago in company with the schooner TEMPEST, carrying a cargo of wheat to Buffalo. During a violent storm near Sleeping Bear Island, she foundered and sank. The loss was observed by the captain of the TEMPEST. All 11 on board perished.

History

The schooner went down quickly in a heavy storm in Manitou Passage, taking its cargo and all hands with her. No survivors were reported, and the wreck site has never been conclusively located.

Significant Incidents

  • 1846: Enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Buffalo, New York parties.
  • 1847: Driven over Racine Reef, losing half her cargo.
  • 1848: Struck by a squall, dismasted, and towed for repairs.
  • 1849: Foundered in a storm near Sleeping Bear Island, resulting in 11 casualties.

Final Disposition

The schooner went down quickly in a heavy storm in Manitou Passage, taking its cargo and all hands with her. No survivors were reported, and the wreck site has never been conclusively located.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Believed to rest in the depths of the Manitou Passage, its remains are presumed scattered or deeply buried, consistent with mid-19th century wooden schooner wrecks.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”outward-bound-1846″ title=”References & Links”]

The story of the OUTWARD BOUND illustrates the risks of early Great Lakes grain transport, highlighting repeated severe weather incidents and the challenges faced by schooners of the era. Its final loss with all hands stands as a tragic chapter in maritime history.

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: OUTWARD BOUND
  • Year Built: 1846
  • Built at: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  • Vessel Type: Schooner
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Number of Decks: 1
  • Builder: DeGroate Ship Yard
  • Master Carpenter: S.C. DeGroate
  • Original Owner: L.O. Matthews & partners, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Power: Sail
  • Number of Masts: 2
  • Hull Dimensions:
    • Length: 117.3 ft (35.7 m)
    • Beam: 24 ft (7.3 m)
    • Depth: 10 ft (3.0 m)
    • Tonnage (old style): 260.21 tons

Final Disposition

  • Final Location: Manitou Passage, upper Lake Michigan
  • Date Lost: 17 April 1849
  • How Lost: Foundered in a storm
  • Final Cargo: Wheat
  • Casualties: 11 lost

Vessel Type Description
OUTWARD BOUND was a large two-masted wooden schooner purpose-built for the booming grain trade between the Great Lakes ports of Buffalo, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Designed for heavy cargoes, she was typical of mid-19th century schooners with a single deck, deep hold, and broad beam for stability under load.

History
The OUTWARD BOUND had a dramatic but brief service life marked by repeated misfortunes:
• 1846: Enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio, and soon after sold to Buffalo, New York parties for service in the grain trade from Milwaukee and Chicago.
• 1847, September 28: Driven over Racine Reef and into the shallows of Lake Michigan while loaded with grain for Buffalo; lost half of her cargo, freed and laid up for winter repairs.
• 1848, October 26: Struck by a sudden squall north of Chicago while grain-laden, dismasted, and lost much of her rigging; towed into Chicago for repairs and winter layup.
• 1848: Thomas Richmond acquired controlling interest and registered the vessel home port as Chicago, Illinois.
• 1849, April 17: Outward Bound departed Chicago in company with the schooner TEMPEST, carrying a cargo of wheat to Buffalo. During a violent storm near Sleeping Bear Island, she foundered and sank. The loss was observed by the captain of the TEMPEST. All 11 on board perished.

Final Disposition
The schooner went down quickly in a heavy storm in Manitou Passage, taking its cargo and all hands with her. No survivors were reported, and the wreck site has never been conclusively located.

NOTMARs & Advisories
There are no current Notices to Mariners related to the OUTWARD BOUND wreck.

Located By & Date
Not located to date.

Current Condition & Accessibility
Believed to rest in the depths of the Manitou Passage, its remains are presumed scattered or deeply buried, consistent with mid-19th century wooden schooner wrecks.

Resources & Links
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Conclusion
The story of the OUTWARD BOUND illustrates the risks of early Great Lakes grain transport, highlighting repeated severe weather incidents and the challenges faced by schooners of the era. Its final loss with all hands stands as a tragic chapter in maritime history.

Keywords: schooner, grain trade, Lake Michigan, Manitou Passage, 1840s shipwreck, Great Lakes maritime history

outward-bound-1846 1849-04-17 03:06:00