Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Wayne
• Type: Wooden Schooner-Barge
• Year Built: 1882
• Builder: S. Langell, St. Clair, Michigan
• Dimensions: Length: 187 ft (57 m); Beam: 34 ft (10.4 m); Depth of hold: 14 ft (4.3 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 965 tons
• Location: Near Portage Canal, southwest of Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior
• Official Number: 80881
• Original Owners: Unknown (likely Michigan-based)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Wayne was a wooden schooner-barge, a type of unpowered sailing vessel that was towed behind steamers to increase cargo capacity.

Description

The Wayne was built in 1882 by S. Langell of St. Clair, Michigan, a region well known for wooden ship construction in the late 19th century. She was primarily used for bulk cargo transport, likely carrying coal, lumber, or iron ore.

History

The Wayne likely hauled bulk freight such as iron ore from Lake Superior mines, lumber from Michigan and Wisconsin forests, and coal for industrial and home heating purposes. She operated as part of long towing convoys, often behind large steam-powered freighters. Typical trade routes included Lake Superior to Lake Erie and Lake Michigan ports, and from Duluth, Marquette, and other mining centers to steel mills in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Significant Incidents

• Date of Incident: October 9, 1906
• Location: 14 miles southwest of Portage Canal, Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior
• Cause: Storm and stranding
• Cargo at Loss: Unknown
• Loss of Life: None (all 7 crew members survived)

Final Disposition

Despite being declared a total loss after running aground during a storm, the Wayne was later recovered and rebuilt, returning to service as a freight-hauling barge. In 1915, she was sold to a Canadian company, extending her operational life until her abandonment in 1926. The exact location of abandonment is unknown, but she was likely scrapped or left in a remote harbor.

Current Condition & Accessibility

If abandoned in 1926, the remains of the Wayne may have rotted away or been scrapped. If wrecked in 1906 but not fully recovered, fragments of her hull could still exist on the lakebed. Any surviving metal components (anchors, fittings, or iron fastenings) could still be detected. There are no known modern surveys or dives that have documented wreckage from the 1906 incident.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The Wayne (1882–1926) was a large wooden schooner-barge used for bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. She ran aground in a 1906 storm near Portage Canal, Michigan, and was declared a total loss. However, she was later salvaged and rebuilt, remaining in service until she was sold to Canada in 1915 and abandoned in 1926. While her final resting place is unknown, her wreck near Keweenaw remains a part of Great Lakes maritime history.