Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Tokio US 145507

Explore the wreck of the TOKIO, a four-masted schooner sunk in the St. Clair River, offering a unique dive site rich in history and aquatic life.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: TOKIO
  • Type: Four-Masted Wooden Schooner
  • Year Built: 1889
  • Builder: Captain James Davidson
  • Dimensions: Length: 222 ft 2 in (67.74 m); Beam: 38 ft (11.58 m); Depth of hold: 16 to 19 ft (4.88 to 5.79 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 1385.49 gross tons, 1316.22 net tons
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 5.79 m / 19 ft
  • Location: Below Edison coal dock, East China, Michigan, St. Clair River
  • Coordinates: 42.7540000°, -082.4751167°
  • Official Number: 145507
  • Original Owners: Menominee Transportation Co., Milwaukee; N.S. Whipple, Detroit; Henry Wineman Jr., Detroit; Pringle Barge Line, Cleveland
  • Number of Masts: Four

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The TOKIO was a robust four-masted schooner built to transport bulk commodities such as iron ore across the Great Lakes. Captain James Davidson’s shipyard in Michigan was known for constructing large, durable schooners, and the TOKIO was no exception. The vessel’s design reflected the needs of the late 19th-century shipping industry, combining significant cargo capacity with efficient handling for towage by steamers.

Description

The TOKIO, built in 1889, was named after the early spelling of Tokyo, Japan, consistent with Davidson’s tradition of naming vessels after distant locations. Over its 28 years of service, it changed hands several times, with owners including:

  • Menominee Transportation Co., Milwaukee
  • N.S. Whipple, Detroit
  • Henry Wineman Jr., Detroit
  • Pringle Barge Line, Cleveland

History

The schooner primarily operated as an iron ore carrier on the Great Lakes, a crucial role in the industrial economy of the time.

Significant Incidents

  • July 1892: While under tow near Mackinaw by the R.P. FLOWER, the steamer began to take on water and was grounded to prevent sinking. The TOKIO was cut loose and escaped harm.
  • August 1892: The schooner ran aground near Grosse Point while being towed by the steamer RALEIGH. It had to be lightened to refloat.

Final Disposition

On October 9, 1917, the TOKIO collided with the barge HOMER in the St. Clair River and sank. Although salvaged, it was deemed beyond repair. It was abandoned for two years before being scuttled in 1919 near East China, Michigan, below the Edison coal dock.

  • 1940: The wreck was charted by the War Department Corps of Engineers due to its location posing a navigational hazard.
  • 1963: The wreck was dynamited by the Corps of Engineers during a period of low water levels to create a minimum depth of 14 feet for safe navigation.
  • The main hull lies in a north-south orientation with a double hull rising up to 14 feet in 19 feet of water. An adjacent wreck section lies east-west, flattened but offering space beneath the deck that provides a habitat for fish. Much of the wreck remains buried in the sediment.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Diving is possible from the shore with permission from nearby homeowners or by boat. The main wreck structure is visible, with parts of the hull and decking intact. The surrounding area supports aquatic life, making it an interesting dive site for both historical and ecological exploration. Depths range from 19 feet for the main section to deeper sections between 25 and 30 feet.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The TOKIO represents a fascinating chapter in Great Lakes shipping history. Its decades of service, its abandonment, and the subsequent dynamiting of the wreck illustrate the evolving priorities and challenges of maritime operations in the region. Today, the wreck serves as both a historical artifact and an ecological site, drawing interest from divers and historians alike.