Recovery (1812)

Explore the remains of the Recovery, a wooden schooner lost in the early 19th century, likely on Lake Superior. Discover its historical context and the mysteries surrounding its wreck.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Recovery
  • Type: Wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1812–1818 (exact year uncertain)
  • Builder: Likely built on Lake Superior for the Hudson’s Bay Company
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: ~40–90 tons
  • Location: Likely on Lake Superior or nearby waters
  • Coordinates: Exact coastline unknown
  • Original Owners: Hudson’s Bay Company

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Recovery was a wooden schooner, utilized primarily in the fur trade and provisioning. Its exact military status remains unconfirmed.

Description

Last official mention of the Recovery indicates it was stranded and destroyed, described as ‘wrecked and broken up on the beach.’ No recorded cargo, route, or master exists, nor precise details of the weather or event leading to its loss. It appears the vessel was either uncrewed or sailed in coastal waters during rough weather when it grounded and was battered ashore.

History

A second vessel named Recovery, approximately 100 tons, was also known as a Hudson’s Bay Company schooner built in the Lake Superior region; however, its fate diverges from this wreck. Both vessels predate comprehensive maritime registries, resulting in limited documentation.

Significant Incidents

  • Reported stranded and broken up on a Great Lakes beach by 1820.
  • No recorded casualties; assumed none onboard at the time of wreck.

Final Disposition

The Recovery remains an early, poorly documented vessel lost in the Lake Superior region. Without confirmation of the master, exact date, or beaching location, it stands as an archival footnote, a candidate for deep archival hunts.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As of now, the exact location of the wreck is unknown, and it remains a subject for further research and exploration.

Resources & Links

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If you wish to attempt location or historical reconstruction, next steps include contacting Hudson’s Bay Company archives, provincial shipwright records, and conducting archaeological surveys in candidate shoreline areas.

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

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