Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Supply
- Type: Two-masted brig-rigged wooden cargo vessel
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder: New York (exact yard not conclusively identified)
- Dimensions: Length: 134 ft (40.8 m); Beam: approx. 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold: approx. 12 ft (3.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage:
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
- Location: North Manitou Island, Michigan
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted brig-rigged wooden cargo vessel, commonly used for bulk freight service on the Great Lakes in the mid-19th century.
Description
Curtis Mann was a square-rigged brig with two masts, carvel-built with wooden planking over heavy oak frames. Her cargo hold was single-decked and designed for versatility, handling general bulk goods including brick, grain, or timber. Her lines would have reflected a moderate-length keel with bluff bows, a straight stem, and a transom stern, giving her both carrying capacity and reasonable speed under sail.
History
Launched in 1855 in New York, the Curtis Mann served for six years before being renamed Supply in 1861. She was engaged mainly in moving building materials and other cargoes around Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, reflecting the post–Civil War construction boom.
In November 1869, Supply departed Detroit with a load of 300,000 bricks bound for the Carp River (Upper Peninsula of Michigan). Caught in a severe autumn gale off North Manitou Island, she suffered structural failure in the heavy seas, reportedly breaking in two amidships. The woman steward succumbed to exposure, while the remainder of the crew took refuge in the rigging for two days before being rescued by the schooner Southwest, which was itself windbound nearby.
Significant Incidents
- November 15, 1869: The Supply broke in two during a gale off North Manitou Island while carrying bricks. The stewardess perished from exposure, and the crew was rescued after two days.
Final Disposition
Declared a constructive total loss. The vessel foundered and was abandoned in place. Over time, storms and shifting sand buried parts of the wreck, leaving only a section of the lower hull visible today.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site was never formally “discovered” since it was visible soon after loss. Recreational divers in the 1970s documented a surviving hull segment measuring approximately 34.4 m (113 ft) on the sandy bottom west of North Manitou Island.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”supply-curtis-mann” title=”References & Links”]
The Curtis Mann (renamed Supply) stands as a testament to the perils faced by 19th-century Great Lakes mariners transporting building materials to the developing Midwest. Its shallow, easily accessible wreck makes it an ideal site for historical study and beginner to intermediate divers, preserving a vivid snapshot of pre-steam shipping on the Great Lakes.
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.
CURTIS MANN (renamed SUPPLY, 1855)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Names: Curtis Mann (original), renamed Supply in 1861
- Registration number: Not confirmed in contemporary registers but active in U.S. enrollment records (1855)
- Year built: 1855
- Builder: New York (exact yard not conclusively identified)
- Vessel measurements:
- Length: 40.8 m (134 ft)
- Beam: approx. 7.9 m (26 ft) (estimated for a typical brig of this tonnage)
- Depth of hold: approx. 3.6 m (12 ft)
- Date lost: 15 November 1869
Vessel Type
Two-masted brig-rigged wooden cargo vessel, commonly used for bulk freight service on the Great Lakes in the mid-19th century.
Description
Curtis Mann was a square-rigged brig with two masts, carvel-built with wooden planking over heavy oak frames. Her cargo hold was single-decked and designed for versatility, handling general bulk goods including brick, grain, or timber. Her lines would have reflected a moderate-length keel with bluff bows, a straight stem, and a transom stern, giving her both carrying capacity and reasonable speed under sail.
History
Launched in 1855 in New York, the Curtis Mann served for six years before being renamed Supply in 1861. She was engaged mainly in moving building materials and other cargoes around Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, reflecting the post–Civil War construction boom.
In November 1869, Supply departed Detroit with a load of 300,000 bricks bound for the Carp River (Upper Peninsula of Michigan). Caught in a severe autumn gale off North Manitou Island, she suffered structural failure in the heavy seas, reportedly breaking in two amidships. The woman steward succumbed to exposure, while the remainder of the crew took refuge in the rigging for two days before being rescued by the schooner Southwest, which was itself windbound nearby.
Final Dispositions
Declared a constructive total loss. The vessel foundered and was abandoned in place. Over time, storms and shifting sand buried parts of the wreck, leaving only a section of the lower hull visible today.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck site was never formally “discovered” since it was visible soon after loss. Recreational divers in the 1970s documented a surviving hull segment measuring approximately 34.4 m (113 ft) on the sandy bottom west of North Manitou Island.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Online Index – Bowling Green State University
- NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Shipwrecks
- 3D Shipwrecks
- Sonarguy
Shore Dive Information
- Shore Access Location: North Manitou Island (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
- Entry Type: Beach or tender from small boat; no dedicated dock
- Depth Range: 3–6 m (10–20 ft)
- Current & Conditions: Generally mild current, occasional thermocline, variable visibility from 2–10 m (6–30 ft)
- Points of Interest: Lower hull framing, partial keelson, fastenings, scattered ironwork
- Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
- Safety & Emergency Info:
- Nearest hyperbaric chamber: Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, MI
- U.S. Coast Guard: Sector Lake Michigan — (414) 747‑7182
- 911 address: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore ranger station
- U.S. emergency: 911
- Canadian emergency: 911 (cross-border rescue coordinated by JRCC Cleveland)
- Local Regulations: Within a National Park — removal of artifacts strictly prohibited
- Best Time to Dive: June to September
- Driving Directions: Take M‑22 from Traverse City to Leland, then cross by ferry or private vessel to North Manitou Island
- Additional Resources: Local dive charters in Leland or Glen Arbor
Archival Newspaper Report (Reproduced)
From the Detroit Free Press, November 19, 1869:
“The schooner Supply (formerly Curtis Mann), while bound from Detroit to Carp River with a load of 300,000 bricks, broke in two during a terrible gale off North Manitou Island. The stewardess perished from exposure, while the rest of the crew clung to the rigging for two days. They were rescued by the schooner Southwest, which was detained nearby due to foul weather. The Supply is a total loss.”
(Source: Chronicling America archives, Library of Congress)
Conclusion
The Curtis Mann (renamed Supply) stands as a testament to the perils faced by 19th-century Great Lakes mariners transporting building materials to the developing Midwest. Its shallow, easily accessible wreck makes it an ideal site for historical study and beginner to intermediate divers, preserving a vivid snapshot of pre-steam shipping on the Great Lakes.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- brig
- two-masted
- Lake Michigan
- 19th century
- shipwreck
- North Manitou Island
- shallow dive
- wooden hull
- Great Lakes shipping
- sailing freighter
- maritime heritage