Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Seaman
- Type: schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 181 grt
- Location: Pilot Island, Lake Michigan
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century wooden schooner, typical of 2-masted regional cargo vessels frequently used on the Great Lakes.
Description
Age at loss (1908): 60 years—remarkably long-lived for an operational wooden schooner. Cargo: Transporting slabs and a full load of potatoes (~3,000 bushels). Route: Sailing through Death’s Door (Straits of Mackinac), likely from Wisconsin to Chicago or nearby Great Lakes ports. Crew: Six aboard; none survived.
History
On November 15, 1908, Seaman was caught in a powerful storm which drove her onto an outer shoal south of Pilot Island, where she became a total loss. Contemporary wind conditions likely produced sudden gale-force winds and waves typical of late-season November storms in that area.
Significant Incidents
- Wrecking: Driven ashore, broke apart.
- Salvage: None—vessel declared too old and too damaged.
- Casualties: All six crew perished; no bodies recorded rescued.
Final Disposition
Driven ashore by a gale, wrecked; her age made salvage impractical; later “went to pieces” with no survivors among six crew.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No dive surveys or precise wreck coordinates found—site likely shallow and dispersed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”seaman-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
Seaman exemplifies a durable yet ultimately vulnerable wooden schooner whose end was sealed by a late-season gale in the notorious Death’s Door passage. The complete loss of her small crew underscores the perilous nature of Great Lakes freight sailing in autumn. While wreck segments may remain near Pilot Island, absence of formal salvage or dive records highlights the opportunity for archaeological survey.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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