Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pocahontas
- Type: Single-screw propeller vessel (mixed passenger & freight)
- Year Built: 1846
- Builder: Bidwell & Banta Shipyard, Buffalo
- Dimensions: Length: 171 ft 9 in (52.4 m); Beam: 24 ft 11 in (7.6 m); Depth: 10 ft 4.5 in (3.15 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 426 64/95 old-style tons
- Location: Long Point, Ontario, on Lake Erie
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Original Owners: Walter Joy, Buffalo, NY
- Number of Masts: 1 (auxiliary sailing rig)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Type: Single-screw propeller vessel (mixed passenger & freight)
Hull Material: Wood
Decks: 1
Description
The Pocahontas was a wooden single-screw propeller vessel built in 1846 at the Bidwell & Banta Shipyard in Buffalo, New York. It was designed for mixed passenger and freight services.
History
Operational History:
- 1846–1850: Conducted standard services between Buffalo, Detroit, and Chicago.
- 1847: Noted collision with the propeller Racine near Grand River, ONT (September 13).
- 1852: Fatality—an engineer was killed when caught in machinery.
- 1853: Assisted in rescue of John Lillie crew with USS Michigan.
- Mid-1850s: Suffered multiple groundings (Grand Haven, Detroit), collisions, and incidents.
- 1860–1862: Operated under American Transportation Co. and later J.N. Galdner.
- April 8, 1862: Stranded in gale near Long Point, Ontario; heavily laden with freight.
- April 16, 1862: Hull reported pounded to ruins; registry formally surrendered by May 27.
Significant Incidents
- Noted collision with the propeller Racine near Grand River, ONT (September 13, 1847).
- Fatality of an engineer in 1852 when caught in machinery.
- Assisted in the rescue of John Lillie crew with USS Michigan in 1853.
Final Disposition
The Pocahontas was driven onto shoals in a storm on April 8, 1862, and disintegrated over several days due to wave action. The vessel was abandoned and taken off records by late May 1862.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site is located in a coastal shoal area off Long Point, Ontario. The condition of the wreck is destroyed, and no intact wreckage is likely to remain. There are no known private or governmental vessel surveys or artifact recoveries.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pocahontas-1846″ title=”References & Links”]
The Pocahontas serves as a historical example of the transition from sail to steam-powered vessels in the mid-19th century. Its operational history reflects the complexities of regional transport during that era, while its loss highlights the dangers of navigating heavily laden vessels in adverse weather conditions.
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: Pocahontas
- Year Built: 1846
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Build Site: Buffalo, New York (Bidwell & Banta Shipyard)
- Vessel Type: Single-screw propeller vessel (mixed passenger & freight)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Final Disposition: Stranded and wrecked
- Date of Loss: April 8, 1862
- Location: Long Point, Ontario, on Lake Erie
- Cause of Loss: Driven ashore during a spring storm; battered to pieces by April 16
- Final Cargo: Flour, corn, and general freight
- Casualties: None reported
Vessel Specifications
- Builder: Bidwell & Banta Shipyard, Buffalo
- Master Carpenter: F. N. Jones
- Original Owner: Walter Joy, Buffalo, NY
- Masts: 1 (auxiliary sailing rig)
- Dimensions:
- Length: 171 ft 9 in (52.4 m)
- Beam: 24 ft 11 in (7.6 m)
- Depth: 10 ft 4.5 in (3.15 m)
- Tonnage: 426 64/95 old-style tons
- Propulsion: Single-screw steam engine
Operational History
- 1846–1850: Conducted standard services between Buffalo, Detroit, and Chicago
- 1847: Noted collision with the propeller Racine near Grand River, ONT (September 13)
- 1852: Fatality—an engineer was killed when caught in machinery
- 1853: Assisted in rescue of John Lillie crew with USS Michigan
- Mid-1850s: Suffered multiple groundings (Grand Haven, Detroit), collisions, and incidents
- 1860–1862: Operated under American Transportation Co. and later J.N. Galdner
- April 8, 1862: Stranded in gale near Long Point, Ontario; heavily laden with freight
- April 16, 1862: Hull reported pounded to ruins; registry formally surrendered by May 27
Final Disposition
- Date of Wrecking: April 8, 1862
- Description of Loss: Vessel driven onto shoals in storm, then disintegrated by waves over several days
- Registry: Abandoned and taken off records by late May 1862
Wreck Site & Current Status
- Location Type: Coastal shoal area off Long Point, ONT
- Condition: Destroyed; no intact wreckage likely remains
- Surveys: No known private or governmental vessel surveys or artifact recoveries
Sources & Citations
- Provided details derived from historical records:
- Pocahontas build and operational data
- Final stranding at Long Point; cargo description; hull loss timeline
- Loss event aligns with typical mid-19th century freight schooner patterns
- Confirmation exists in archival vessel registries (Buffalo, ONT registry)
Historical Significance
As a mid-19th-century propeller vessel, the Pocahontas exemplifies the early transition from sail to steam-powered cargo and passenger ships on the Great Lakes. Her service history—including rescues and collisions—reflects the growing complexity of regional transport. Her final loss at Long Point underscores the continued perils of late-winter navigation in heavy freight-laden hulls.
Keywords & Categories
- Region: Lake Erie (Long Point, ONT)
- Vessel Type: Wooden screw propeller (passenger-freighter)
- Cargo: Mixed freight (flour, corn, general)
- Cause of Loss: Grounding in storm, hull destruction by wave action
- Casualties: None reported
- Era: 1846–1862
- Dive Status: No remains; shore-based debris possible (historical)