Saucy Jack

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Saucy Jack
• Type: Small, wooden two-masted schooner
• Year Built:
• Builder:
• Dimensions:
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Approximately 5 miles south of the mouth of the Saugeen River
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Schooner, Lost December 15, 1851

Description

The Saucy Jack was a small, wooden two-masted schooner that was carrying flour destined for the Saugeen River and Southampton, Ontario. Tragically, all three crew members perished in the incident.

History

The Saucy Jack departed Goderich in early December 1851, aiming to reach the Saugeen River. During a heavy storm, she stranded but was initially refloated to continue her voyage on December 14. The following morning, she was discovered capsized and wrecked approximately 5 miles south of the mouth of the Saugeen River on Lake Huron. Her cargo of flour was strewn along the beach, and her masts were found down.

Significant Incidents

• All three crew members drowned during the storm.

Final Disposition

Local tradition holds that the wreck of the Saucy Jack contributed to food shortages in Southampton that winter. Contemporary newspaper accounts from Southampton likely report the incident and the loss of supplies.

Current Condition & Accessibility

While hull remains are unlikely to be found, archival research could surface names, narratives, and broader historical context regarding the vessel’s loss and its impact on the local community.

Resources & Links

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The Saucy Jack illustrates the peril of mid-19th-century lake commerce: a small schooner lost in a brief, deadly storm with total crew loss, and possible local hardship due to the cargo’s failure to arrive. Her wreck is emblematic of human risk and regional vulnerability in the early settlement period.