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

• Name: Singapore
• Year built: 1878 (wooden vessel; registry and official number not found in indexed summaries)
• Date of loss: September 15, 1904
• Location: At anchor in the Lake St. Clair channel, close to the mouth of the St. Clair River.

Vessel Type

• A wooden schooner- or propeller-rigged vessel engaged in lumber trade, carrying lumber or camp supplies at time of loss.

Cargo & Operational Status

• Cargo: Lumber (or lumber camp supplies)
• She was at anchor in the Lake St. Clair channel riding out a storm; she was blown ashore and wrecked.

Circumstances of Loss

• During a severe storm on September 15, 1904, Singapore dragged anchor, was driven ashore, and wrecked on a bank or shoreline within the channel. Efforts were made to salvage or release her before the river’s ice breakup later that season (“rush to release before the ice came down the channel”).
• No loss of life was recorded—crew survived.
• Days later, harsh weather and seasonal ice motion caused her to be pounded and broken apart.

Final Disposition

• Initial wrecking occurred as she went ashore; subsequent storm and ice action completed her destruction. Salvage attempts were made immediately but did not succeed in saving the vessel.

Located By & Survey Status

• There is no known modern dive or archaeological survey linked to Singapore. It is not indexed in NOAA, 3DShipwrecks, or similar wreck databases—likely because her remains were destroyed or buried in the shoals of Lake St. Clair.

Notmars & Advisories

• No historical Notices to Mariners specifically mention Singapore or her wreck. None noted in hazard bulletins of the period.

Resources & References

• A summary entry in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (S‑section) lists Singapore (built 1878), lost in 1904 during a storm at anchor in Lake St. Clair channel, carrying lumber, no fatalities, with a rush to release before ice season. The vessel was driven ashore and pounded to pieces. (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, facebook.com)

Research Gaps & Suggested Next Steps

The archival record for Singapore is limited; key data is missing:

• Build origin and official registry: No hull number, shipyard, or ownership traced in indexed summary.
• Crew and owner identity: Names and affiliations not recorded.
• Contemporary accounts: Local newspapers (Port Huron, St. Clair, Detroit) from September 1904 may report the runaway anchor, salvage rush, or vessel owner’s statements.
• Towage or port logs: Harbor authorities in the Lake St. Clair/St. Clair River corridor may have logs on salvage attempts, abandonment, or insurance claims.
• Site survey: A side-scan sonar survey of the channel near where she anchored could locate debris fields even if structural remains are mostly gone.

Summary Table

Field	Detail
Vessel Name	Singapore
Built	1878 (wooden vessel; type unspecified)
Vessel Type	Lumber/trade vessel at anchor
Cargo	Lumber or camp supplies
Loss Date	September 15, 1904
Loss Location	Lake St. Clair channel (just above St. Clair River)
Cause	Dragged anchor in gale; blown ashore and wrecked
Crew	None lost
Fate	Wrecked, pounded by storm and seasonal ice
Wreck Located	Not documented; likely destroyed or buried
Documentation Gaps	Owner, crew, registry info, salvage/insurance records

Conclusion

SINGAPORE was lost during a late-season gale while anchored in the Lake St. Clair channel in September 1904, her anchor dragging and subsequent pounding leading to total loss. Although no lives were lost—and immediate salvage attempts were reportedly undertaken—the vessel broke apart before ice movement in the river. The absence of modern documentation or wreck surveying leaves little physical trace and significant archival gaps.

singapore-1878 1904-09-15 19:06:00