Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Young Phoenix
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built:
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: Unknown
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Off Long Point, Lake Erie
- Official Number: None (Possibly British registry)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Young Phoenix was classified as a wooden schooner, a type of sailing vessel characterized by its two or more masts and fore-and-aft rigging.
Description
The Young Phoenix was an early 19th-century wooden schooner that operated on Lake Erie. As a schooner, she was likely used for cargo transport or general trade, carrying materials such as lumber, furs, grain, or manufactured goods.
At the time of her loss, maritime navigation on Lake Erie was still developing, and storms posed a significant risk to the early schooners that sailed the lake. The lack of lighthouses, charts, and accurate weather forecasting made shipwrecks like this common in the early 1800s.
History
On September 14, 1818, the Young Phoenix foundered quickly off Long Point, a notorious area for shipwrecks on Lake Erie. Though the cause of the sinking is unclear, it was likely due to a storm, as this was a common hazard on the lake. Despite the wreck, no loss of life was reported, meaning her crew likely escaped. No details exist regarding survivors or their rescue.
Significant Incidents
- Lost on September 14, 1818, due to a storm.
- No loss of life reported.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after sinking rapidly. No salvage efforts were recorded. Given the time period and wooden construction, any remains are likely fully deteriorated or buried in the lakebed near Long Point.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed discovery of wreckage. Long Point, Lake Erie, remains a high-risk area for shipwrecks, with many vessels lost due to storms, shifting sandbars, and treacherous currents.
Resources & Links
The Young Phoenix was one of the earliest recorded shipwrecks on Lake Erie, lost in 1818 near Long Point, an area infamous for Great Lakes disasters. With limited records on her construction or cargo, her exact fate remains a mystery, and her wreck has never been located. However, her loss is a reminder of the dangers faced by early mariners on the Great Lakes.