Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Unidentified Hull (Possible part of Hartford)
- Type: Wooden hull (schooner-type)
- Year Built:
- Builder: Not known
- Dimensions: Length ~80 ft (24 m); Beam ~28 ft (8.5 m); Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Not known
- Depth at Wreck Site: 4.5 m / 15 ft
- Location: Sandy Pond, Oswego County, New York
- Coordinates: 43°37'56.0"N, 76°11'48.5"W
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Three-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The structure appears to be of wooden ship construction, with substantial framing and planking typical of 19th-century Great Lakes schooners or barges.
Description
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
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.
Significant Incidents
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.
Final Disposition
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.
Current Condition & Accessibility
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.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”unidentified-hull-possible-part-of-hartford” title=”References & Links”]
Continued ethical documentation is encouraged; do not excavate or disturb the site. The identification remains tentative but plausible, and seasonal survey and shoreline erosion monitoring are recommended.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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