Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Traveller
• Type: Wooden scow-schooner, two-masted
• Year Built: 1863
• Builder: Unknown shipyard, Detroit, Michigan
• Dimensions: Length: 62 ft (18.9 m); Beam: 15 ft (4.6 m); Depth of hold: 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 41 GT
• Location: Lake St. Clair
• Official Number: C61129 (Canada), formerly US24584 (United States)
• Original Owners: Sold to Canadian ownership in 1869
• Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Traveller was a small scow-schooner, built in Detroit, Michigan, in 1863. Designed for carrying bulk cargo such as lumber, grain, stone, or coal on the Great Lakes. Scow-schooners were flat-bottomed, shallow-draft vessels, commonly used in river and lake trade, ideal for operating in shallow waters like Lake St. Clair and connecting waterways. Originally registered in the United States, she was sold to Canadian ownership in 1869, operating out of Montreal. Primarily served the Upper St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and Lake St. Clair trade routes.

Description

The Traveller was a small scow-schooner, built in Detroit, Michigan, in 1863. Designed for carrying bulk cargo such as lumber, grain, stone, or coal on the Great Lakes. Scow-schooners were flat-bottomed, shallow-draft vessels, commonly used in river and lake trade, ideal for operating in shallow waters like Lake St. Clair and connecting waterways. Originally registered in the United States, she was sold to Canadian ownership in 1869, operating out of Montreal. Primarily served the Upper St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and Lake St. Clair trade routes.

History

The Traveller was a small scow-schooner, built in Detroit, Michigan, in 1863. Designed for carrying bulk cargo such as lumber, grain, stone, or coal on the Great Lakes. Scow-schooners were flat-bottomed, shallow-draft vessels, commonly used in river and lake trade, ideal for operating in shallow waters like Lake St. Clair and connecting waterways. Originally registered in the United States, she was sold to Canadian ownership in 1869, operating out of Montreal. Primarily served the Upper St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and Lake St. Clair trade routes.

Significant Incidents

• Reported lost in Lake St. Clair in 1876, but no details about the incident are available.
• Possible causes include storm damage, grounding on a sandbar or shoal, or collision with another vessel.
• No records confirm if there were any fatalities or if the vessel was salvaged.

Final Disposition

• Declared a total loss (“wrecked”) in 1876.
• No known salvage efforts.
• Possible remains scattered in Lake St. Clair, but unconfirmed.
• No confirmed modern discovery of the wreck site.
• Potential wreckage could exist in Lake St. Clair, buried under sediment or obscured by shifting currents.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Lake St. Clair was a challenging waterway for schooners, especially flat-bottomed scows, due to shifting sandbars and unpredictable storms. Many vessels were lost in this region during the 19th century, making wreck identification difficult. No known records of navigational hazards associated with the Traveller.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”traveller-c-61129-us-24584″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The Traveller was a small but sturdy scow-schooner, built in Detroit and later operated in Canada. She was lost under unknown circumstances in 1876 on Lake St. Clair, a high-traffic and often dangerous waterway. Though her wreck has not been located, she is part of the many forgotten vessels that once sailed the Great Lakes trade routes.