Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Wonder
• Type: Wooden Propeller Sandsucker
• Year Built: 1889
• Builder: New London, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: 95 ft (29 m); Beam: 19 ft (5.8 m); Depth of hold: 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 99 gross tons; 78 net tons
• Location: In the harbor at Ashtabula, Ohio
• Official Number: 81794
• Original Owners: Ashtabula Sand & Gravel Company

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Wonder was a wooden propeller sandsucker, a specialized dredging vessel designed for extracting sand from lake and river bottoms for construction purposes.

Description

The Wonder was built in 1889 in New London, Wisconsin, and was primarily used for dredging operations and transporting sand. It played an important role in industrial projects along Lake Erie’s ports, operating mainly out of Ashtabula, Ohio.

History

The Wonder was owned by Ashtabula Sand & Gravel and served the growing demand for construction materials in the early 20th century. Ashtabula was a major industrial port, handling coal, ore, and sand shipments to support the Great Lakes economy.

Significant Incidents

• Final Voyage & Loss (July 13, 1908): The Wonder was caught in a severe northerly storm while in the harbor at Ashtabula, Ohio. Heavy winds and waves caused the vessel to strand near the harbor entrance. Attempts to free the vessel failed, and it was declared a total wreck.
• Later, it was towed near the outer breakwall during an unsuccessful salvage attempt.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the Wonder was towed to the breakwall, but it is unclear how much of the wreck remains intact. Given its wooden construction and exposure to Lake Erie’s waves, the wreckage may have deteriorated significantly over time.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No modern surveys have documented the site, but local divers or historians may have information about remnants near the Ashtabula breakwall. The wreck has not been definitively located or studied in modern times, but it could be a candidate for future underwater exploration.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The Wonder was a small but significant sandsucker that served Lake Erie’s industrial ports for nearly 20 years. It was lost in a storm in Ashtabula Harbor on July 13, 1908 (or September 6, 1908) and was eventually wrecked near the outer breakwall after an unsuccessful salvage attempt. Though no modern surveys have confirmed the wreck’s location, it remains a potential target for historical and underwater exploration.