Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.C. Richardson
- Type: Steel propeller bulk freighter
- Year Built: 1902
- Builder: American Ship Building Co., Cleveland, OH
- Dimensions: Length 374 ft (114 m); Beam 50 ft (15.2 m); Depth 28 ft (8.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Gross 3,818; Net 2,841
- Depth at Wreck Site: 12.2 m / 40 ft
- Location: Off Waverly Shoal, ~1.5 miles from Buffalo NY breakwater
- Coordinates: Approximate GPS 42°51′04″ N, 78°54′47″ W
- Official Number: 81816
- Original Owners: Richardson Transportation Co., Cleveland, Ohio
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The W.C. Richardson was a steel-hulled, single-deck bulk freighter built in 1902 by American Ship Building Company (Hull #411) for use on the Great Lakes. The vessel featured one deck, hold beams, hatches spaced at 24 ft, powered by coal-fired boilers and a triple-expansion steam engine (1,450 IHP). At 374 ft overall length, 50 ft beam, and 28 ft depth, she was classed at 3,818 gross tons.
Description
Launched and enrolled in 1902 at Cleveland, Ohio (US #81816), the W.C. Richardson served in bulk cargo transport under Richardson Transportation Co., with home port Cleveland (later Rockport, Ohio).
History
On 8 December 1909, during a storm on Lake Erie, the vessel foundered off Waverly Shoal, roughly 1½ miles from the Buffalo breakwater. Five crew members were lost; the ship did not survive the storm and sank. Her enrollment was officially surrendered at the end of December 1909.
Significant Incidents
- 8 December 1909: The W.C. Richardson foundered in a storm off Waverly Shoal, resulting in the loss of five crew members.
Final Disposition
The W.C. Richardson was declared a total loss following her sinking in the December 1909 storm. No recorded attempts to salvage the vessel’s remains have been noted in accessible sources.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site is known in local diver and wreck mapping resources as lying in approximately 40 ft (12.2 m) of water, roughly 1½ miles off the Buffalo harbor wall near Waverly Shoal. Diver reports indicate the site remains partially visible under ~40 ft of water.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-c-richardson” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
As a diver, remember to respect the site and its history. Leave only bubbles, take only memories, and consider removing any garbage to leave the site better than you found it.
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.
Identification Card (Site Style)
Other Names: —
Official Number: 81816
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Steel propeller bulk freighter
Builder: American Ship Building Co., Cleveland, OH (Hull #411)
Year Built: 1902
Dimensions: Length 374 ft (114 m); Beam 50 ft (15.2 m); Depth 28 ft (8.5 m)
Tonnage: Gross 3,818; Net 2,841
Cargo on Final Voyage: Not specified in verified sources (period mention of flaxseed exists, but quantity/value unverified)
Date of Loss: 8 December 1909
Location: Off Waverly Shoal, ~1.5 miles from Buffalo NY breakwater, Lake Erie
Coordinates: Approximate GPS 42°51′ 04″ N, 78°54′ 47″ W
Depth: Listed as ~40 ft (12.2 m) in diver sources
Home Port: Cleveland, Ohio (later Rockport, Ohio)
Owners: Richardson Transportation Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Crew: Unknown total
Casualties: 5 lives lost
Description
The *W. C. Richardson* was a steel-hulled, single-deck bulk freighter built in 1902 by American Ship Building Company (Hull #411) for use on the Great Lakes. The vessel featured one deck, hold beams, hatches spaced at 24 ft, powered by coal-fired boilers and a triple-expansion steam engine (1,450 IHP). At 374 ft overall length, 50 ft beam, and 28 ft depth, she was classed at 3,818 gross tons. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
History
Launched and enrolled in 1902 at Cleveland, Ohio (US #81816), the *W. C. Richardson* served in bulk cargo transport under Richardson Transportation Co., with home port Cleveland (later Rockport, Ohio).
On 8 December 1909, during a storm on Lake Erie, the vessel foundered off Waverly Shoal, roughly 1½ miles from the Buffalo breakwater. Five crew members were lost; the ship did not survive the storm and sank. Her enrollment was officially surrendered at the end of December 1909.
Final Disposition
The *W. C. Richardson* was declared a total loss following her sinking in the December 1909 storm. No recorded attempts to salvage the vessel’s remains have been noted in accessible sources.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck site is known in local diver and wreck mapping resources as lying in approximately 40 ft (12.2 m) of water, roughly 1½ miles off the Buffalo harbor wall near Waverly Shoal.
Notmars & Advisories
None formally documented in Notices to Mariners; local maritime historians and dive operators may note the wreck as a navigational hazard during periods of low visibility or ice—though official notices are not publicly cited.
Dive Information
Access: Boat dive from Buffalo
Entry Point: Buffalo east harbor or breakwater area
Conditions: Lake Erie storm-affected waters; visibility varies
Depth Range: ~35–45 ft (10–14 m)
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Buffalo, NY district; local dive operators
Permits: Likely not required for recreational diving in state waters, but verification with NYS DEC or local authorities recommended
Dive Support: Local dive charters and shops in Buffalo area offer support for wreck diving
Crew & Casualty Memorials
Names of the five crew members lost in the sinking have not been located in accessible records; local newspapers from Buffalo or the Richardson company archives may hold the names. A deeper search in Buffalo newspapers of December 1909 (e.g., *Buffalo Courier*, *Buffalo Morning Express*) is recommended.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The *Richardson* foundered in a storm off Waverly Shoal, about 1½ miles from the Buffalo breakwater. Five lives were lost.”
— Great Lakes Vessel History (General summary)
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
– Enrolled at Cleveland, OH, 3 June 1902; enrollment surrendered 31 December 1909. :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}
– Owned by Richardson Transportation Co., manager listed as *W. C. Richardson*. Insurance records not found in reviewed online sources; further research is needed in marine insurance archives or local shipping company records (e.g., Cleveland or Buffalo marine insurance registries).
Site Documentation & Imaging
Diver reports and wreck mapping (ShipwreckWorld.com) indicate the site remains partially visible under ~40 ft of water. No NOAA VR, 3D imaging, or formal survey documented in open online sources. A team dive survey or remote sensing (side-scan sonar) could produce data.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessel History – W. C. Richardson
- ShipwreckWorld: W C Richardson Wreck Location Map
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL) — general reference
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress) — for newspaper searches
- Newspapers.com — Buffalo newspapers December 1909
- Find A Grave — possible memorials for crew
- “Richardson, W.C. 1.” Great Lakes Vessel History, detailing build and loss.
- “W C Richardson freighter – ShipwreckWorld.com,” location, depth, year built/sank.
- “The W S Richardson Was Bound from Duluth to Buffalo …” *Champaign Daily Gazette*, 9 December 1909 (partial context, confirms loss of flaxseed freighter).
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: —
Official Number: 81816
Coordinates: ~42°51′ 04 N, 78°54′ 47 W (approx.)
Depth: ~40 ft (12.2 m)
Location Description: Off Waverly Shoal, ~1.5 mi from Buffalo NY breakwater, Lake Erie
Vessel Type: Steel propeller bulk freighter
Material: Steel
Dimensions: LOA 374 ft; Beam 50 ft; Depth 28 ft; 3,818 GT; 2,841 NT
Condition: Wreck scattered/broken; known to divers in shallow water
Cause of Loss: Foundering during storm (weather-related)
Discovery Date: Not officially recorded; diver knowledge c. mid-20th century (e.g., map existence suggests visibility of remains by circa 1958 as local dive article notes) :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}
Discovered By: Not documented (local divers, wreck mapping)
Method: Informal diver/site mapping (e.g., ShipwreckWorld locational data)
Legal Notes: Enrollment surrendered; presumed insurer payout – records not located
Hazards: Navigational hazard in shallow water during poor visibility
Permits Required: Likely not for recreational dive; commercial operations should consult NYS DEC / USCG
You must be logged in to post a comment.