Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.H. Rounds
- Type: Wooden schooner (coal-carrying)
- Year Built: 1875
- Builder: Tonawanda, NY
- Dimensions: ~138 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft
- Registered Tonnage: ~309 gross / 293 net tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 6 m / 20 ft
- Location: Approximately 2 miles offshore—likely Black River Reef—Lake Huron, near Harrisville, MI
- Official Number: 21300
- Number of Masts: Two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
Role: Bulk coal transport within the Great Lakes
Description
The W.H. Rounds was a wooden schooner built in 1875, primarily used for transporting coal across the Great Lakes. The vessel was approximately 138 feet long, 26 feet wide, and had a depth of 11 feet, typical for vessels of its era.
History
On 2 May 1905, while transporting coal on Lake Huron, the W.H. Rounds was caught in a violent spring storm. The schooner was driven onto a reef—likely Black River Reef—some 2 miles offshore. The hull was breached and the vessel quickly took water, with no possibility of salvage. Fortunately, the crew escaped and reached shore safely. Word of the loss took nearly a week to reach shipping authorities.
Significant Incidents
- Loss occurred due to a storm causing grounding on a reef.
- No casualties; all crew members survived.
Final Disposition
The W.H. Rounds was driven onto a reef and wrecked, resulting in total loss of the vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site is approximately 2 miles off Harrisville, Michigan, on a reef at a depth of about 15–20 feet. It may be accessible to snorkelers or shallow-water divers, although the wreckage is likely broken and near the surface. The site is not currently charted on Notices to Mariners, and no modern dive or sonar surveys have confirmed the vessel’s exact location.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-h-rounds-us-21300″ title=”References & Links”]
The W.H. Rounds serves as a poignant example of late-era wooden bulk schooners and their vulnerability to spring storms and reef collisions in Lake Huron. Her sinking—so near land and without loss of life—offers both a historical narrative and a potential shallow-water dive site, pending verification.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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