Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

USCG Cable Boat 56022

Explore the wreck of USCG Cable Boat 56022, a military utility vessel that sank during a winter storm in 1977, now a notable dive site in Lake Ontario.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: USCG Cable Boat 56022
  • Type: Military Utility / Cable Boat
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 21.3 m / 70 ft
  • Location: ~1.125 miles north of Ontario-on-the-Lake, NY
  • Coordinates: 43° 17' 48.0012″ N, 77° 19' 32.8188″ W
  • Original Owners: United States Coast Guard

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Converted WWII-Era Landing Craft / USCG Cable Laying Utility Boat

Description

USCG Cable Boat 56022 was a repurposed military landing craft used by the U.S. Coast Guard for underwater cable laying and maintenance operations on Lake Ontario. The vessel had an open deck configuration suited for logistical utility, and by 1977 was actively being used in transit between Oswego and Niagara.

History

On December 1, 1977, the vessel encountered a severe winter storm with 50 mph winds and 6-foot waves while transiting from Oswego to Niagara. The open-deck boat began taking on large volumes of water over the gunwale, and the crew attempted to pump water out manually. Unable to stem the inflow, the crew contacted the Charlotte USCG Station. A lifeboat responded, but before a secure tow could be established, the tow line parted and the boat sank upright on its stern, leaning at a 45-degree angle.

All three crew members were rescued, and no casualties occurred.

Significant Incidents

  • Encountered severe winter storm with 50 mph winds and 6-foot waves.
  • Boat took on water over the gunwale, leading to sinking.
  • Tow line parted before secure tow could be established.

Final Disposition

  • The vessel did not come fully to rest on the lake bottom.
  • 12 feet of the stern settled into the bottom, forming an 8-foot scour pit caused by current action.
  • The wreck is entirely coated in zebra mussels, and bass congregate around the site, indicating its ecological impact.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck is upright on its stern, tilted at a 45-degree angle, and partially buried. It is coated in zebra mussels, which have created an ecological habitat around the site.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The USCG Cable Boat 56022 wreck is one of Lake Ontario’s more modern and dramatic shipwrecks, offering a visually compelling site due to its stern-down orientation and intact structure. Its discovery showcases the dedication of wreck hunters like Kennard and Scoville and the enduring mysteries still hidden beneath the Great Lakes. It remains an important dive site for advanced divers and marine historians, and a testament to the service of U.S. Coast Guard operations in inland waters.