Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pearl
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1847
- Builder: Toledo, Ohio
- Dimensions: 100 ft × 10 ft × 8.5 ft (30.5 m × 3.0 m × 2.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 151 tons (old style)
- Location: East Sister Reef, Lake Erie (some sources place the wreck in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron)
- Original Owners: Lewis et al; later Beardsley & Fitch (Oswego, NY)
- Number of Masts: Two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century wooden cargo schooner built for transporting bulk goods on the upper Great Lakes, typical of Lake Erie–based regional trade.
Description
The Pearl was a wooden-hulled, two-masted schooner designed for cargo transport. With dimensions of 100 feet in length, 10 feet in beam, and a hold depth of 8.5 feet, she was built to navigate the waters of the Great Lakes.
History
The Pearl was first enrolled at Oswego, NY in 1848 and later registered in Cleveland, OH. On December 4, 1854, she ran ashore near Cleveland with a mixed cargo but was successfully refloated. On November 21, 1855, while carrying wheat, the Pearl struck East Sister Reef and was wrecked. There is some confusion regarding whether the reef is located in Lake Erie or Georgian Bay.
Significant Incidents
- 4 December 1854: Ran ashore near Cleveland with a mixed cargo; successfully refloated.
- 21 November 1855: While carrying wheat, Pearl struck and was wrecked on East Sister Reef. The incident is variably reported, with some confusion over whether the reef is on Lake Erie or Georgian Bay.
Final Disposition
The Pearl stranded on the reef and became a total loss, likely breaking apart in heavy seas with her cargo lost. No salvage operations are documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No archaeological surveys or dives have been conducted. The wreck likely lies in shallow waters near East Sister Reef. The ambiguity of its exact location complicates identification, and no modern rediscovery has been reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pearl-1847″ title=”References & Links”]
The Pearl embodies the risk-laden nature of mid-19th-century Great Lakes trade. Built in Toledo in 1847, she served through regional cargo runs until lost in November 1855 on East Sister Reef. The lack of survivors, salvage, or rediscovery has obscured her precise story—but her wreck remains noted in naval records and maritime resources. Navigators today rely on updated charts to avoid the same reef that claimed her.
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: Pearl
- Year built: 1847, Toledo, Ohio
- Original owners: Lewis et al; later Beardsley & Fitch (Oswego, NY)
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, two-masted, single deck
- Dimensions: 100 ft × 10 ft × 8.5 ft (30.5 m × 3.0 m × 2.6 m)
- Tonnage: Approximately 151 tons (old style)
- Date lost: 21 November 1855
- Location: East Sister Reef, Lake Erie (some sources place the wreck in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron) (alcheminc.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Cargo: Wheat
- Casualties: None recorded
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century wooden cargo schooner built for transporting bulk goods on the upper Great Lakes, typical of Lake Erie–based regional trade.
History & Final Voyage
- Enrolled first at Oswego, NY in 1848, later registered in Cleveland, OH.
- 4 December 1854: Ran ashore near Cleveland with a mixed cargo; successfully refloated.
- 21 November 1855: While carrying wheat, Pearl struck and was wrecked on East Sister Reef. The incident is variably reported, with some confusion over whether the reef is on Lake Erie or Georgian Bay (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Final Disposition
- Stranded on the reef and became a total loss; likely broke apart in heavy seas with cargo lost.
- No salvage operations are documented.
Located By & Date Found
- No archaeological surveys or dives have been conducted. The wreck likely lies in shallow waters near East Sister Reef.
- The ambiguity of its exact location complicates identification. No modern rediscovery reported.
Notmar & Advisories
- No current Notices to Mariners reference this wreck.
- East Sister Reef remains a navigational hazard; modern charts mark it as a shoal requiring caution.
Resources & Links
- Lake Erie Shipwreck Map & Index – notes the wreck of Pearl on East Sister Reef, also mentions a possible Georgian Bay listing (alcheminc.com)
- Wisconsin Genealogy Resources – Oswego shipping registration and Cleveland incident (linkstothepast.com)
Conclusion
The Pearl embodies the risk-laden nature of mid-19th-century Great Lakes trade. Built in Toledo in 1847, she served through regional cargo runs until lost in November 1855 on East Sister Reef. The lack of survivors, salvage, or rediscovery has obscured her precise story—but her wreck remains noted in naval records and maritime resources. Navigators today rely on updated charts to avoid the same reef that claimed her.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Pearl schooner, East Sister Reef wreck, Lake Erie wheat schooner, 1855 shipwreck
- Categories: Wooden cargo schooners, shallow reef wrecks, Lake Erie maritime incidents
- Glossary:
- Reef: A submerged hazard, often composed of rock or coral, lying near the water’s surface.
- Old-style tonnage: Historical volumetric measurement of cargo capacity.
- Stranding: When a vessel grounds on a shallow or submerged feature.