Scow Schooner Ocean Wave

Scow Schooner Ocean Wave. Historic Shipwreck. , Type: Wooden schooner, two-masted , Built: 1860, Robert Chambers, Harsen's Island, Mich. , Sank: September 23, 1869 , Length: 73' Beam 20' , Cargo: Stone , Depth of Wreckage: 110' , Listed on the National Register of Historic Places , , Four miles southeast of here, in 110 feet of water, lie the remains of the Ocean Wave. The two-masted wooden ship was a scow schooner, a boxy, flat-bottomed vessel of the late 1800s. Scow schooners could enter shallower harbors more easily than shapely vessels, and they connected small frontier towns to large city markets. , , In the early morning of Sept. 23, 1869, the Ocean Wave was delivering a load of limestone to White Lake, Mich., when she struck a 'deadhead' – a floating log or timber. She sank quickly, barely leaving the crew time to launch the lifeboat. In his haste, Captain Fletcher Hackett reportedly left $160 in his cabin. The crew rowed through the night and finally reached shore near this sign. , , Today, the bow of the Ocean Wave is largely intact and displays a figurehead, unusual for small coasting schooners. It is a crudely carved eagle, with open mouth and extended tongue. The sides of the ship have fallen outward, and the aft deck and its intact cabin lie nearby. The wreck of the Ocean Wave is marked by a seasonal WHS mooring buoy. , , logos of: Wisconsin Historical Society, Sea Grant · University of Wisconsin, NOAA, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program , , Title to Wisconsin's submerged archaeological sites is held in public trust by the State of Wisconsin. As steward of these unique historical and recreational resources, the Wisconsin Historical Society encourages responsible diver visitation of these sites. Please leave these sites intact for future generations to enjoy. Wisconsin law prohibits unauthorized disturbance or removal of artifacts, structure, cargo, or human remains. Report archaeological site looting at (800) TIP-WDNR. , , A partnership of the Wisconsin Historical Society, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. Funded by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Grant #NA04NOS4190062. , , CAUTION: Dive at your own risk. Sea Grant and the Wisconsin Historical Society accept no responsibility for loss of any kind including personal injury or property damage. In case of emergency, contact the Coast Guard by marine radio channel 16 or by phone at (414) 747-7182. For diving emergencies, call Divers Alert Network at (919) 684-8111. , , www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org , www.maritimetrails.org.