Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Rush
- Type: Wooden Schooner-Scow
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder:
- Dimensions: 103 ft (31.4 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Buckhorn Dock near Amherstburg, Ontario
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Rush was a two-masted wooden sailing scow, primarily designed for shallow-draft operation and nearshore cargo runs.
Description
Constructed as a flat-bottomed scow, the Rush was ideal for transporting hardwood staves and bolts, essential materials in barrel making and packaging, along Lake Erie routes.
History
The Rush was built in 1853 and primarily engaged in the transportation of hardwood staves and bolts. On 2 November 1876, while attempting to depart Buckhorn Dock, the vessel was overpowered by a sudden northerly gale, leading to its grounding and subsequent wrecking.
Significant Incidents
- Weather: Overpowered by a sudden northerly gale while attempting to depart Buckhorn Dock.
- Event: Unable to leave the dock due to strong winds, the vessel was driven ashore and wrecked against the shore or dock structure.
- Casualties: None reported—crew managed to survive.
Final Disposition
The Rush was declared a total loss after grounding. It is likely that the vessel was salvaged for timber or left in place, as no modern dive surveys or rediscovery efforts have been recorded. The location near Amherstburg suggests that any remains would be in very shallow water, possibly obscured by sediment or affected by shoreline activity.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No official Notices to Mariners were issued at the time of the wreck. As a small scow wreck near the shoreline, the Rush posed minimal hazard to navigation.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”rush-1853″ title=”References & Links”]
The Rush exemplifies a small-scale Great Lakes scow used in the bustling stave and barrel materials trade. Her loss on 2 November 1876 resulted from a powerful northerly gale that swept her ashore, but without casualties. Given her coastal grounding and possible salvage, the wreck likely doesn’t survive in diveable form—but archival investigation could illuminate her origins, ownership, crew, and the circumstances of her grounding.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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