Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pewaukee (Two Friends)
- Type: Wooden schooner (later steam barge, then tow barge)
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: Lemuel McDermond, Port Burwell, Ontario
- Dimensions: 134 ft × 25.5 ft × 12.5 ft (40.8 m × 7.8 m × 3.8 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 362.2 gross tons
- Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: Part of Leathem & Smith quarry breakwater
- Official Number: 71279 (Canada); 150233 (U.S.)
- Original Owners: Suffel et al (1873); Acheson & Co. (1880); Wolf & Davidson (1881); Leathem & Smith (1907)
- Number of Masts: Three-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Originally built as a three-masted wooden schooner, *Two Friends* underwent several conversions throughout her service life, including a transformation into a steam-powered vessel and later an unrigged tow barge.
Description
Built in 1873 by Lemuel McDermond of Port Burwell, Ontario, *Two Friends* was a three-masted wooden schooner of 362.2 gross tons, rigged as a bark. She was later converted into a steam-powered schooner (steambarge), then into an unrigged tow barge. Her career spanned four decades, with repeated rebuilds and conversions typical of the Great Lakes bulk carrier trade.
History
Initially owned by George Suffel of Vienna, Ontario, *Two Friends* was later sold to Acheson & Co. of Goderich. On 16 October 1880, she was caught in the infamous “Alpena Gale” and driven ashore at North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin. Her crew survived after a dramatic rescue by fisherman James Larson of Sister Bay, who received a gold medal for bravery from the U.S. Life-Saving Service.
Although declared a total loss, the wreck was salvaged in 1881 by the tug *Leviathan* of Wolf & Davidson Wrecking Company. Extensively rebuilt at Milwaukee, she was re-registered as *Pewaukee* and placed into the ore and stone trade. In 1888 she was converted to steam, and in 1897 she was stripped to serve as a barge. By 1907, her machinery had been removed.
Significant Incidents
- 16 October 1880: Caught in the “Alpena Gale” and driven ashore at North Bay, Wisconsin; crew rescued by James Larson.
- 10 October 1907: *Pewaukee* burned at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Final Disposition
On 10 October 1907, *Pewaukee* burned at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In 1913, her remains were raised and incorporated into the Leathem & Smith quarry breakwater at Sturgeon Bay. Portions of her structure remain visible during low water, making her one of several vessels preserved in Wisconsin’s shoreline infrastructure.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Remains are integrated into the breakwater at Sturgeon Bay. Portions of hull timbers and frames are visible in shallow water under certain conditions. No formal 3D photogrammetry or NOAA VR model located.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pewaukee-two-friends-us-71279″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
As a diver, remember to respect the site and its history. Observe the remains of *Pewaukee* without disturbing them, and consider participating in local clean-up efforts to leave the site better than you found it.
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
Other Names: Pewaukee (after 1881 rebuild)
Official Number: 71279 (*as schooner*); 150233 (*as Pewaukee*)
Registry: Canada (Port Burwell, ON); later U.S. (Milwaukee, WI)
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner (later converted to steam barge, then tow barge)
Builder: Lemuel McDermond, Port Burwell, Ontario
Year Built: 1873
Dimensions: 134 ft × 25.5 ft × 12.5 ft (40.8 × 7.8 × 3.8 m)
Tonnage: 362.2 gross tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: Not applicable – burned at dock
Date of Loss: 10 October 1907 (burned); reused as breakwater 1913
Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Part of Leathem & Smith quarry breakwater
Depth: Shallow – incorporated into shore structures
Home Port: Port Burwell (original); Milwaukee / Sturgeon Bay (later)
Owners: Suffel et al (1873); Acheson & Co. (1880); Wolf & Davidson (1881); Leathem & Smith (1907)
Crew: Unknown (varied through career)
Casualties: None in final disposition; crew rescued during 1880 grounding
Description
Built in 1873 by Lemuel McDermond of Port Burwell, Ontario, *Two Friends* was a three-masted wooden schooner of 362.2 gross tons, rigged as a bark. She was later converted into a steam-powered schooner (steambarge), then into an unrigged tow barge. Her career spanned four decades, with repeated rebuilds and conversions typical of the Great Lakes bulk carrier trade.
History
Initially owned by George Suffel of Vienna, Ontario, *Two Friends* was later sold to Acheson & Co. of Goderich. On 16 October 1880, she was caught in the infamous “Alpena Gale” and driven ashore at North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin. Her crew survived after a dramatic rescue by fisherman James Larson of Sister Bay, who received a gold medal for bravery from the U.S. Life-Saving Service.
Although declared a total loss, the wreck was salvaged in 1881 by the tug *Leviathan* of Wolf & Davidson Wrecking Company. Extensively rebuilt at Milwaukee, she was re-registered as *Pewaukee* and placed into the ore and stone trade. In 1888 she was converted to steam, and in 1897 she was stripped to serve as a barge. By 1907, her machinery had been removed.
Final Dispositions
On 10 October 1907, *Pewaukee* burned at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In 1913, her remains were raised and incorporated into the Leathem & Smith quarry breakwater at Sturgeon Bay. Portions of her structure remain visible during low water, making her one of several vessels preserved in Wisconsin’s shoreline infrastructure.
Located By & Date Found
Remains of *Two Friends* (as *Pewaukee*) were never lost; they are integrated into the Leathem & Smith quarry breakwater at Sturgeon Bay. Earlier fragments of the *Two Friends* wreckage were observed in North Bay by divers during the 20th century prior to her full salvage and rebuild.
Notmars & Advisories
Not considered a hazard to navigation. Incorporated into a breakwater structure at Sturgeon Bay.
Dive Information
Access: Shore / shallow water at Sturgeon Bay breakwater
Entry Point: Leathem & Smith quarry, Sturgeon Bay
Conditions: Shallow water, variable visibility
Depth Range: 10–20 ft (3–6 m), depending on lake level
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay
Permits: Required for disturbance; observation permitted
Dive Support: Door County dive charters, historical tours
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No loss of life in the 1880 grounding; crew rescued by fisherman James Larson, who was awarded a gold medal by the U.S. Life-Saving Service. No fatalities recorded in later incidents.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“While the schooner *Two Friends* was on the beach, a fisherman went out in that terrible sea to rescue the hands. He had nothing but a little skiff and went out eight times … succeeded in rescuing all hands.” — *Door County Advocate*, November 4, 1880
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Original Canadian registry, Official No. 71279. Re-registered in the U.S. as *Pewaukee*, Official No. 150233. Owned by Suffel et al (Ontario), Acheson & Co. (Goderich), Wolf & Davidson (Milwaukee), and finally Leathem & Smith (Sturgeon Bay). Enrollment officially surrendered November 10, 1913, at Milwaukee after conversion into breakwater use.
Site Documentation & Imaging
Remains are integrated into the breakwater at Sturgeon Bay. Portions of hull timbers and frames are visible in shallow water under certain conditions. No formal 3D photogrammetry or NOAA VR model located.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Maritime Database
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
References
- Arthur C. & Lucy F. Frederickson, *Ships and Shipwrecks in Door County, Wisconsin*, Vol. II (1963)
- John Brandt Mansfield, *History of the Great Lakes*, Vol. I (1899)
- *Door County Advocate*, October–December 1880; January–October 1881
- Dwight Boyer, *Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes* (1968)
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: 71279 (Canada), 150233 (U.S.)
Coordinates: Leathem & Smith quarry, Sturgeon Bay
Depth: 10–20 ft
Location Description: Incorporated into quarry breakwater
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner → steambarge → barge
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 134 × 25.5 × 12.5 ft; 362 GT
Condition: Fragmentary remains in breakwater
Cause of Loss: Burned 1907, repurposed 1913
Discovery Date: Never lost – integrated into breakwater
Discovered By: N/A
Method: Salvaged and repurposed
Legal Notes: Enrollment surrendered November 1913
Hazards: None – part of shore
Permits Required: Yes, for disturbance