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
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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.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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