Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Surveyor (tug) and Dixie (dredge barge)
- Type: Tugboat and unrigged dredge scow/barge
- Year Built: 1941
- Builder:
- Dimensions: 88 ft (26.82 m) X 28 ft (8.53 m) X 7 ft (2.13 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 152 GRT / 152 NRT
- Depth at Wreck Site: 13 m / 43 ft
- Location: 3.8 miles east of the Ashtabula East Breakwater Light
- Official Number: 175285
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Surveyor: Tugboat (exact hull material not specified) tasked with towing and barge operations
- Dixie: Unrigged dredge scow/barge built in 1941, 88 × 28 × 7 ft, 152 GRT/152 NRT
Description
- Surveyor: Functioned as a towing vessel; lost with Dixie during inclement weather—specific specs undocumented
- Dixie: Typical 1940s dredge barge; used for material transport, not self-propelled
History
- 4 Dec 1964: A severe Lake Erie storm separated Surveyor from the tug Superior, leading to Surveyor and Dixie foundering
- Post-Loss: The Coast Guard monitored the barge before it capsized and sank
- Discovery: No earlier record; wreck position known since at least the loss timeframe
Significant Incidents
- Surveyor and Dixie foundered during a storm on Lake Erie.
Final Disposition
Both vessels were fully lost. The barge stands upright on the lake bottom in moderate depth, partially intact.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck lies outside navigational channels, with no modern hazards reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”surveryor-and-dixie-us-175285″ title=”References & Links”]
The sinking of Surveyor and Dixie in a fierce Lake Erie storm exemplifies mid-century navigation risks even for close-to-shore operations. The loss in shallow water made the wreck accessible to diver survey but posed minimal navigational danger. Today, the site stands as a snapshot of Great Lakes workboat history.
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: Surveyor (tug) and unrigged dredge barge DIXIE (Official No. 175285)
- Final Location: Lake Erie, 3.8 miles east of the Ashtabula East Breakwater Light, in 43 ft (13 m) of water, at bearing 66° from the light (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Date Lost: 4 December 1964
- How: Foundered during a storm while towing Dixie; both sank
Vessel Type
- Surveyor: Tugboat (exact hull material not specified) tasked with towing and barge operations
- Dixie: Unrigged dredge scow/barge built in 1941, 88 × 28 × 7 ft, 152 GRT/152 NRT (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Description
- Surveyor: Functioned as a towing vessel; lost with Dixie during inclement weather—specific specs undocumented
- Dixie: Typical 1940s dredge barge; used for material transport, not self-propelled
History & Chronology
- 4 Dec 1964: A severe Lake Erie storm separated Surveyor from the tug Superior, leading to Surveyor and Dixie foundering (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Post-Loss: The Coast Guard monitored the barge before it capsized and sank (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Discovery: No earlier record; wreck position known since at least the loss timeframe
Final Disposition
Both vessels were fully lost. The barge stands upright on the lake bottom in moderate depth, partially intact.
Located By & Date Found
- Discovery: After they sank, the area was charted, and wreck location confirmed (43 ft of water, 3.8 mi from the breakwater) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Notmars & Advisories
None current. The wreck lies outside navigational channels, with no modern hazards reported.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files: Summary of wreck event, vessel details, and wreck site (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The sinking of Surveyor and Dixie in a fierce Lake Erie storm exemplifies mid-century navigation risks even for close-to-shore operations. The loss in shallow water made the wreck accessible to diver survey but posed minimal navigational danger. Today, the site stands as a snapshot of Great Lakes workboat history.
Keywords & Glossary Terms
- Tug and barge foundering
- Lake Erie 1964 storm
- Dredge barge Dixie
- Surveyor tangential wreck
- 43 ft wreck dive site
- Ashtabula breakwater