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.

🛠️ WRECK REPORT — Unidentified Hull (Possible part of Hartford)

1. IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

This site consists of an unidentified wooden hull, intermittently visible beneath shifting sand along the eastern Lake Ontario shoreline near Sandy Pond, Oswego County, New York.
The exposed structure measures approximately 80 feet (24 m) in length and 28 feet (8.5 m) in beam.
Visibility depends on wind, surf, and sand movement — sometimes partly exposed, sometimes fully buried.

Coordinates: 43°37’56.0″N, 76°11’48.5″W
Waterbody: Lake Ontario (Sandy Pond / North Sandy Pond sector)
Nearest Access: Sandy Pond Beach, Sandy Creek, NY

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2. CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP

The structure appears to be of wooden ship construction, with substantial framing and planking typical of 19th-century Great Lakes schooners or barges.
No visible markings or builder’s details have been confirmed.
It may represent part of the schooner Hartford (U.S. Official No. 95229), though identification remains unverified.

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3. POWER & MACHINERY

No propulsion machinery is present. The hull is sailing-vessel type, consistent with a three-masted schooner.
Any metal fastenings or hardware are buried below the sand surface.

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4. SERVICE HISTORY

Unknown for this hull.
If connected to the Hartford, the vessel was engaged in grain trade between western Lake Ontario ports and Oswego, carrying bulk cargoes such as wheat.

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5. LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES

Date and cause of loss not confirmed for this particular structure.
If part of the Hartford, it would relate to the schooner’s October 12 1894 loss in Mexico Bay during a severe storm, when all hands were lost.

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6. DISCOVERY, OUTCOME & LATER HISTORY

This buried wreck was reported by local residents and divers who observed the timbers when storms shifted the sand.
The wreck is not permanently visible and re-buries seasonally.
No archaeological work or formal identification has yet been conducted.

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7. WRECK DESCRIPTION & DIVE CONDITIONS

• Estimated exposed length: ~80 ft (24 m)
• Beam: ~28 ft (8.5 m)
• Orientation: Largely unknown; parallel to shore suspected
• Depth range: 5–15 ft (1.5–4.5 m)
• Bottom: Fine sand and shifting substrate
• Visibility: Variable (1–15 ft typical)
• Hazards: Surf, buried timbers, entanglement risk

Diving ethics: Only observe and photograph. Leave only bubbles, take only memories.
Artifact removal is prohibited under state and federal law.

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8. REFERENCES & LINKS

For detailed references and supporting documents, see the References & Links section on this page.

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⚓ COMPARATIVE NOTE — Schooner Hartford (U.S. 95229)

1. IDENTIFICATION & BACKGROUND

The three-masted wooden schooner Hartford was built in 1873 by Linn & Co., Gibraltar, Michigan (Master Carpenter Morgan).
She was owned by G.H. McKinley, W.H. Consaul, and Capt. William O’Toole of Clayton, NY, and registered at Oswego.

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2. CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

• Vessel Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
• Official Number: 95229
• Builder: Linn & Co., Gibraltar, MI (Master Carpenter Morgan)
• Year Built: 1873
• Dimensions: Length 137 ft (41.8 m); Beam 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth 11 ft (3.4 m)
• Tonnage: 323 GRT / 307 NRT
• Registry: United States
• Home Port: Oswego, NY

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3. FINAL VOYAGE & LOSS

On 12 October 1894, Hartford was bound for Oswego with 22,000 bushels of wheat when caught in a violent Lake Ontario storm.
The schooner was driven ashore in Mexico Bay and lost with all seven crew.
Her remains were reportedly buried in sand along the shoreline near Sandy Pond.

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4. DISCOVERY & ASSOCIATION

Multiple wooden hull fragments have been found along this section of Mexico Bay / Sandy Pond, one of which (43°37’56.0″N, 76°11’48.5″W) may belong to the Hartford.
Exposed dimensions (~80 × 28 ft) suggest a section of the hull, possibly the mid-ships or stern structure.
No builder’s hardware or registration marks have yet confirmed the link.

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5. CURRENT STATUS

The wrecksite is not conclusively identified, but it matches the approximate loss area and construction scale of the Hartford.
Seasonal survey and shoreline erosion monitoring are recommended.
All work should follow no-touch, in-situ documentation standards.

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6. REFERENCES & LINKS

Primary record: Shotline Diving — Hartford (U.S. 95229)

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⚓ COMPARATIVE SUMMARY TABLE

Feature	Unidentified Hull (Sandy Pond)	Schooner Hartford (U.S. 95229)
Site Type	Buried wooden hull, exposed intermittently	Three-masted wooden schooner
Location	43°37’56.0″N 76°11’48.5″W — Sandy Pond Beach	Mexico Bay, Lake Ontario (approx.)
Dimensions (visible)	~80 ft × 28 ft (24 m × 8.5 m)	137 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (41.8 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m)
Hull Material	Wood	Wood
Propulsion	None (sailing vessel)	Sail — three-masted schooner
Cargo (final)	Unknown	22,000 bushels of wheat
Loss Date	Unknown	12 Oct 1894
Loss Cause	Burial / stranding (unconfirmed)	Storm, total loss
Casualties	None known	All 7 crew lost
Discovery Pattern	Visible during sand movement	Historic wreck, likely buried
Identification Confidence	Low – probable match, unconfirmed	Confirmed vessel record

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⚙️ Interpretation Notes

• The size, hull type, and locality closely correspond to the Hartford‘s known loss area in Mexico Bay.
• The smaller visible section could represent a partial hull segment displaced or buried since 1894.
• Without artifact or structural confirmation, the identification remains tentative but plausible.
• Continued ethical documentation is encouraged; do not excavate or disturb the site.

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Shotline Diving Site Profile

Name: Unidentified Hull (possible Hartford)
Other Names: None confirmed
Official Number: Unknown
Registry: United States (unconfirmed)
Vessel Type: Wooden hull (schooner-type)
Builder: Not known
Year Built: Not known
Dimensions: ~80 ft × 28 ft (24 m × 8.5 m)
Tonnage: Not known
Cargo on Final Voyage: Unknown
Date of Loss: Not known (possibly 12 Oct 1894)
Location: Sandy Pond / Mexico Bay, Lake Ontario, NY
Coordinates: 43°37’56.0″N 76°11’48.5″W
Depth: ~5–15 ft (1.5–4.5 m)
Home Port: Unknown
Owners: Unknown
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: None confirmed