Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Star
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 224 93/95 (old measurement)
- Location: Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Star was a mid-sized wooden schooner, typical of those employed in mid-19th-century bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. With a tonnage just over 224 tons, she would have been well-suited for carrying heavy and dense materials such as pig iron, grain, or rail components. Schooners of this era were rigged with two or three masts and offered flexibility and cost-efficiency in moving goods across often-remote lakefront ports.
Description
The Star was a wooden vessel with a single deck, designed for the transportation of bulk cargo. Her construction and design were typical of the era, allowing her to navigate the challenging waters of the Great Lakes.
History
- 1848: Enrolled at Lewiston, New York. That same year, she was sunk in a collision with the steamer General Scott near Port Huron, in the St. Clair River. The schooner was later refloated and returned to service.
- 1850: Re-enrolled at Oswego, New York.
- 1851: Registered at both Buffalo, NY, and Presque Isle, PA, indicating active use along Lake Erie routes.
- 1852: Continued operations registered out of Buffalo.
Significant Incidents
- Collision with the steamer General Scott in 1848, resulting in temporary sinking.
Final Disposition
In October 1852, the Star foundered in a storm on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, while carrying railroad iron. The vessel was declared a total loss. There are no records of salvage or survival of her cargo, nor details about crew fate.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Unknown. Likely heavily deteriorated due to wood construction and depth exposure.
- Accessibility: Not documented as a dive site. Georgian Bay does include areas with known wrecks, but Star is not among currently catalogued ones.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”star-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The 1848 Star had a short but turbulent career, beginning with a collision and culminating in a storm-induced sinking while carrying railroad materials during the mid-century boom of industrial infrastructure. Her loss in Georgian Bay adds to the long list of schooners that succumbed to unpredictable Great Lakes weather during the age of wooden sail cargo vessels.
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: Star
- Vessel Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Tonnage: 224 93/95 (old measurement)
- Final Location: Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
- Date of Loss: October 1852
- Final Cargo: Railroad iron
Vessel Type Description
The Star was a mid-sized wooden schooner, typical of those employed in mid-19th-century bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. With a tonnage just over 224 tons, she would have been well-suited for carrying heavy and dense materials such as pig iron, grain, or rail components. Schooners of this era were rigged with two or three masts and offered flexibility and cost-efficiency in moving goods across often-remote lakefront ports.
History
- 1848: Enrolled at Lewiston, New York. That same year, she was sunk in a collision with the steamer General Scott near Port Huron, in the St. Clair River. The schooner was later refloated and returned to service.
- 1850: Re-enrolled at Oswego, New York.
- 1851: Registered at both Buffalo, NY, and Presque Isle, PA, indicating active use along Lake Erie routes.
- 1852: Continued operations registered out of Buffalo.
Final Disposition
In October 1852, the Star foundered in a storm on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, while carrying railroad iron. The vessel was declared a total loss. There are no records of salvage or survival of her cargo, nor details about crew fate.
Located By & Date Found
There is no confirmed rediscovery of the Star‘s wreck in Georgian Bay. The vessel remains undocumented underwater, and her final resting place is presumed unknown.
Notmars & Advisories
No current navigational warnings or restrictions noted related to this wreck site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Unknown. Likely heavily deteriorated due to wood construction and depth exposure.
- Accessibility: Not documented as a dive site. Georgian Bay does include areas with known wrecks, but Star is not among currently catalogued ones.
Conclusion
The 1848 Star had a short but turbulent career, beginning with a collision and culminating in a storm-induced sinking while carrying railroad materials during the mid-century boom of industrial infrastructure. Her loss in Georgian Bay adds to the long list of schooners that succumbed to unpredictable Great Lakes weather during the age of wooden sail cargo vessels.
Resources & Links
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Star, schooner, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, railroad iron cargo, 1852 shipwreck, storm loss
- Categories: Wooden schooners, 19th-century Great Lakes trade, Lake Huron shipwrecks
- Glossary: foundered, enrolled, collision, total loss