Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: SOREL
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length: 108 ft (32.9 m); Beam: 22 ft (6.7 m); Depth: 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 196 tons
- Location: Approximately 19 km (12 miles) west of Oswego, New York, Lake Ontario
- Original Owners: H. & S. Jones of Brockville; Thomas Radcliffe of St. Catharines
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner, typical of mid-19th-century Great Lakes cargo carriers.
Description
The SOREL was a standard wooden schooner, single-deck, with a two-masted sailing rig designed to haul bulk cargo — notably lumber — across Lake Ontario and connecting waterways. Originally built in 1848, the vessel underwent a significant rebuild at Portsmith, Ontario, in 1853, being remeasured at 196 tons, to strengthen the hull and perhaps increase cargo capacity.
History
Built in 1848, the SOREL worked primarily in the lumber trade, serving the growing demands of Ontario and New York markets. By 1853, she had been rebuilt at Portsmith, Ontario, under ownership of H. & S. Jones of Brockville. In 1860, she was owned by Thomas Radcliffe of St. Catharines, Ontario.
On 16 November 1861, while bound from Whitby, Ontario, to Oswego, New York, with a cargo of lumber, the SOREL was wrecked 12 miles (19 km) west of Oswego. Details of the wreck incident indicate the schooner was lost in a fall gale, a common hazard on Lake Ontario at that time of year.
Significant Incidents
- Wrecked on 16 November 1861 during a fall gale.
Final Disposition
Total loss on Lake Ontario; no known salvage beyond probable partial lumber recovery.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No formal modern location confirmed; presumed broken up in shallow water west of Oswego.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”sorel-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The SOREL is a representative example of the many 19th-century schooners lost while supplying the booming timber trade across Lake Ontario. Her 1861 loss highlights the dangers of late-season sailing on the Great Lakes. The site, though unconfirmed, remains of historical interest for maritime researchers studying Lake Ontario’s commercial schooner era.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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