Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Star of Hope
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner-barge (towed configuration)
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Quayle & Martin, Cleveland
- Dimensions: 136 × 26 × 12 ft; 276 GRT
- Registered Tonnage: 276 GRT
- Location: Stranded on Pelee Island shoals, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 22392
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A sizable 136-ft wooden schooner-barge used in the tow-barge fleets of the mid-Great Lakes—designed for hauling large deck cargoes behind steam tugs.
Description
In spring 1886, Star of Hope was being towed by the steam tug Burlington, alongside the barge Vanatta. A severe storm on 1 April caused her towline to part. She drifted onto a shoal near Pelee Island where she stranded.
History
Salvage efforts followed: she was refloated and towed to Detroit but was later deemed too damaged to restore—resulting in her abandonment. Vessel registration was surrendered in 1893, and the asset was declared “wrecked.”
Significant Incidents
- No crew lost; crew evacuated safely.
Final Disposition
Stranded on shoals, Star of Hope was refloated but never returned to service. The hull remained ruined, eventually written off as a wreck.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. While her stranding was noted, no GPS coordinates or dive surveys have confirmed an underwater wreck site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”star-of-hope-us-22392″ title=”References & Links”]
No marked navigational hazards reference this wreck today. Shoals around Pelee Island remain risky for shallow-draft vessels and small crafts—still warranting respect and caution.
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 of Hope
- Official Number: 22392 (alcheminc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Built: 1856, Quayle & Martin, Cleveland (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Vessel Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner‑barge (towed configuration)
- Dimensions: 136 × 26 × 12 ft; 276 GRT (alcheminc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Cargo on Final Voyage: Lumber (alcheminc.com)
- Date of Loss: 1 April 1886
- Location: Stranded on Pelee Island shoals, Lake Erie (alcheminc.com)
- Crew: None lost; crew evacuated safely
Vessel Type
A sizable 136‑ft wooden schooner‑barge used in the tow‑barge fleets of the mid‑Great Lakes—designed for hauling large deck cargoes behind steam tugs.
History & Final Voyage
In spring 1886, Star of Hope was being towed by the steam tug Burlington, alongside the barge Vanatta. A severe storm on 1 April caused her towline to part. She drifted onto a shoal near Pelee Island where she stranded (alcheminc.com).
Salvage efforts followed: she was refloated and towed to Detroit but was later deemed too damaged to restore—resulting in her abandonment. Vessel registration was surrendered in 1893, and the asset was declared “wrecked.” (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Final Disposition
Stranded on shoals, Star of Hope was refloated but never returned to service. The hull remained ruined, eventually written off as a wreck.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. While her stranding was noted, no GPS coordinates or dive surveys have confirmed an underwater wreck site.
Notations & Advisories
No marked navigational hazards reference this wreck today. Shoals around Pelee Island remain risky for shallow-draft vessels and small crafts—still warranting respect and caution.
- Search period newspapers (e.g., Detroit Free Press, Toledo Blade, or southern Ontario papers) for detailed salvage or refloat reports?
- Access underwriter or insurance files showing damage assessments or who took ownership post-wreck?
- Locate registry documents detailing the 1893 surrender process and condition reports?