Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Rebecca Foster (1857)

Explore the wreck of the Rebecca Foster, a two-masted schooner lost in a storm on Lake Erie in 1863. All crew survived, but the vessel was a total loss.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Rebecca Foster
  • Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1857
  • Builder: J. & D. Foster
  • Dimensions: 75 ft × 20 ft × 6 ft; 89 tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 89 tons
  • Location: Driven ashore near Long Point Cut, Lake Erie, Ontario
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

  • Wood-hulled, two-deck schooner configured for lumber transport
  • No auxiliary engine (sail-only vessel)

Description

  • Carrying lumber on a November Lake Erie run
  • Likely route: eastward crossing Lake Erie toward Port Rowan or a similar lumber-lading port

History

  • Date of loss: 6 November 1863
  • Location: Driven ashore near Long Point Cut, Lake Erie, Ontario
  • Cause: Severe storm forced vessel ashore; hull battered until breaking apart—deemed a total loss

Significant Incidents

  • All crew survived—no fatalities
  • Stayed with wreck overnight; rescued the following day after shoreline exposure

Final Disposition

  • Wooden hull broke up following grounding
  • Debris likely scattered near shoreline; no intact hull remains
  • No known side-scan surveys or dive documentation
  • Coordinates not officially recorded, but vicinity is well-known among Long Point wreck sites

Current Condition & Accessibility

  • No known formal Notices to Mariners issued
  • Incident noted in regional marine reports and conservation lists
  • Local newspapers (e.g., Port Rowan Gazette), November 1863, likely reported storm and grounding

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”rebecca-foster-1857″ title=”References & Links”]

The Rebecca Foster exemplifies the perilous nature of 19th-century Great Lakes lumber schoonering—lost under storm power near Long Point on November 6, 1863. Crew members were fortunate to survive, but the vessel itself was irreparably damaged. While natural forces dispersed most of the wreckage, the event was documented sufficiently in Great Lakes marine files. Further archival research (e.g., newspapers, port logs) could flesh out crew identities, exact coordinates, and contemporary aftermath details.

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 Characteristics

  • Wood-hulled, two-deck schooner configured for lumber transport
  • No auxiliary engine (sail-only vessel)

Cargo & Voyage Details

  • Carrying lumber on a November Lake Erie run
  • Likely route: eastward crossing Lake Erie toward Port Rowan or a similar lumber-lading port

Final Disposition

  • Date of loss: 6 November 1863
  • Location: Driven ashore near Long Point Cut, Lake Erie, Ontario (alcheminc.com)
  • Cause: Severe storm forced vessel ashore; hull battered until breaking apart—deemed a total loss (alcheminc.com)

Crew & Casualties

Wreck & Site Condition

  • Wooden hull broke up following grounding
  • Debris likely scattered near shoreline; no intact hull remains
  • No known side-scan surveys or dive documentation
  • Coordinates not officially recorded, but vicinity is well-known among Long Point wreck sites

Notices & Contemporary Response

  • No known formal Notices to Mariners issued
  • Incident noted in regional marine reports and conservation lists
  • Local newspapers (e.g., Port Rowan Gazette), November 1863, likely reported storm and grounding

Research & Archival Gaps

  • Ship Registry Records: Official registry number unavailable—possibly unregistered or under local registry
  • Crew List: Names and roles remain undocumented—logs may exist within Port Rowan or Port Dover port ledgers
  • Newspaper Accounts: November 1863 editions from Lake Erie towns (Port Dover, Port Rowan) may provide eyewitness reports
  • Wreck Site Investigation: Shoreline surveys or sediment studies could reveal remnants (fasteners, lumber pieces)

Conclusion

The Rebecca Foster exemplifies the perilous nature of 19th-century Great Lakes lumber schoonering—lost under storm power near Long Point on November 6, 1863. Crew members were fortunate to survive, but the vessel itself was irreparably damaged. While natural forces dispersed most of the wreckage, the event was documented sufficiently in Great Lakes marine files. Further archival research (e.g., newspapers, port logs) could flesh out crew identities, exact coordinates, and contemporary aftermath details.

Keywords: Rebecca Foster, 1863 Great Lakes schooner wreck, Long Point Cut storm, Lake Erie lumber trade, sail-only schooner loss, crew rescue.

rebecca-foster-1857 1863-11-06 11:42:00