Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.L. Baker
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1883
- Builder: W.L. Baker
- Dimensions: Length 50.7 ft (15.5 m); Beam 15.5 ft (4.7 m); Depth of hold 4.2 ft (1.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 19.47 tons
- Location: Off Ahnapee, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 80985
- Original Owners: W.L. Baker
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The W.L. Baker was a small wooden schooner typical of late 19th-century coastal and inland lake craft, used for regional freight or fishing duties. These vessels were ruggedly constructed but vulnerable in open water during fall storms.
Description
- Length: 15.5 metres (50.7 feet)
- Beam: 4.7 metres (15.5 feet)
- Depth: 1.3 metres (4.2 feet)
- Gross Tonnage: 19.47 tons
- Net Tonnage: 18.5 tons
The schooner was relatively modest in size, likely used for light commercial or private coastal operations.
History
- 1883: Constructed and launched at Ashtabula, OH by and for W.L. Baker.
- 1890: Enrolled at Sandusky, OH, suggesting it operated along the southern shores of Lake Erie and possibly extended routes into Lake Michigan.
- The vessel’s limited tonnage and dimensions imply short-range cargo runs or fishing work, operating under sail power without auxiliary engines.
Significant Incidents
- 8 November 1890: The W.L. Baker was lost during a gale off Ahnapee (now Algoma), Wisconsin. No further details of the incident—such as cargo, passengers, or survivor accounts—are recorded in primary sources.
Final Disposition
On 8 November 1890, the W.L. Baker was lost during a gale off Ahnapee, Wisconsin. The November gales on Lake Michigan are historically severe, and small wooden vessels like the W.L. Baker were at significant risk of capsizing or foundering without warning.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Status: Wreck location not confirmed. No record of official discovery or dive confirmation.
Notmars & Advisories: None noted. No known active marine hazard or dive advisory for this wreck.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-l-baker-us-80985″ title=”References & Links”]
The W.L. Baker represents a class of small regional schooners integral to coastal commerce and transport in the Great Lakes during the late 19th century. Its loss during a Lake Michigan gale underscores the hazards of seasonal shipping and the precarious safety margins of small wooden vessels in open water.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.L. Baker
- Official Number: 80985
- Year Built: 1883
- Builder: W.L. Baker
- Construction Site: Ashtabula, Ohio, USA
- Vessel Type: Schooner
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: One
- Final Disposition: Capsized and lost during a gale on 8 November 1890
- Final Location: Off Ahnapee, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan
Vessel Type
The W.L. Baker was a small wooden schooner typical of late 19th-century coastal and inland lake craft, used for regional freight or fishing duties. These vessels were ruggedly constructed but vulnerable in open water during fall storms.
Description
- Length: 15.5 metres (50.7 feet)
- Beam: 4.7 metres (15.5 feet)
- Depth: 1.3 metres (4.2 feet)
- Gross Tonnage: 19.47 tons
- Net Tonnage: 18.5 tons
The schooner was relatively modest in size, likely used for light commercial or private coastal operations.
History
- 1883: Constructed and launched at Ashtabula, OH by and for W.L. Baker.
- 1890: Enrolled at Sandusky, OH, suggesting it operated along the southern shores of Lake Erie and possibly extended routes into Lake Michigan.
- The vessel’s limited tonnage and dimensions imply short-range cargo runs or fishing work, operating under sail power without auxiliary engines.
Final Disposition
On 8 November 1890, the W.L. Baker was lost during a gale off Ahnapee (now Algoma), Wisconsin. No further details of the incident—such as cargo, passengers, or survivor accounts—are recorded in primary sources.
The November gales on Lake Michigan are historically severe, and small wooden vessels like the W.L. Baker were at significant risk of capsizing or foundering without warning.
Located By & Date Found
- Status: Wreck location not confirmed. No record of official discovery or dive confirmation.
Notmars & Advisories
- None noted. No known active marine hazard or dive advisory for this wreck.
Resources & Links
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- Collection of C. Patrick Labadie
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- NOAA’s historical weather data archives (for storm analysis)
- U.S. Coast Guard Historical Vessel Registry (1890)
Conclusion
The W.L. Baker represents a class of small regional schooners integral to coastal commerce and transport in the Great Lakes during the late 19th century. Its loss during a Lake Michigan gale underscores the hazards of seasonal shipping and the precarious safety margins of small wooden vessels in open water.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Tags: schooner, wooden ship, Lake Michigan, Ahnapee, 1890 shipwreck, gale loss, small tonnage, regional cargo vessel, Great Lakes history