Great Lakes

Mid-19th Century Steamship Bay State Discovered in Lake Ontario
Fair Haven, New York - The steamship Bay State has been discovered in the deep depths off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Fair Haven, NY. Shipwreck explorers, Jim Kennard and Roger Pawlowski located the shipwrecked steamer Bay State utilizing a...  more »

The Wreck of the Griffon
Cris Kohl and wife Joan Forsberg have conducted over 20 years of research in order to write their new book The Wreck of the Griffon, the explorer La Salle’s ship that disappeared in 1679 on its return voyage from Lake Michigan. The Griffon was built...  more »

Canal Boats from 1800s Found in Lake Ontario
Two canal boats that may date back to the mid 1800’s have been discovered in Lake Ontario by a team of shipwreck explorers. Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski, and Roland Stevens located the canal boats using DeepVision side scan sonar while searching for...  more »

1926 Steamship Nisbet Grammer Discovered in Lake Ontario
The British steamship Nisbet Grammer, the largest steel steamer to have foundered in Lake Ontario has been discovered by a team of shipwreck explorers. Dan Scoville, Jim Kennard, Craig Hampton, and Roland Stevens located the steamer thirty miles east of...  more »

Early 1800’s Dagger-board Schooner Three Brothers Discovered in Lake Ontario
A rare dagger–board schooner, Three Brothers, has been discovered in deep water off Oswego, New York by a team of shipwreck enthusiasts. Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski, and Roland Stevens located the schooner in early July utilizing high resolution...  more »

U.S.A.F. aircraft abandoned in flight discovered in Lake Ontario
The wreck of a U.S. Air Force C-45 aircraft abandoned during flight by its crew in 1952 has been located in deep water off Oswego, New York. Crippled by the failure of one of its two engines the plane continued on a 65 mile pilotless flight until it...  more »

Early 20th Century Canadian Steamer Roberval Discovered in Lake Ontario
Rochester, New York – The Canadian steamer Roberval which foundered in 1916 when struck by a rogue wave has been discovered in the deep depths of Lake Ontario. The Roberval is one of only two undiscovered steel clad ships still in the lake and has...  more »

Mid-Nineteenth Century Canadian Schooner Ocean Wave Discovered by Shipwreck Explorers
Rochester, New York – The battered remains of the Canadian schooner Ocean Wave, which capsized and eventually sank from a sudden and violent squall, has been found in the depths of Lake Ontario. Shipwreck explorers Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski and...  more »

175 Year Old Great Lakes Atlas Schooner Located in Lake Ontario
Rochester, New York - The wreckage of the schooner Atlas which sank in 1839 during a gale has been located in Lake Ontario. The Atlas may be the oldest confirmed commercial schooner discovered in the Great Lakes. A team of shipwreck enthusiasts, Jim...  more »

In-Depth Editions Dedicated to Publishing Quality Books on Shipwrecks and Maritime History.
Lost & Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks by V. O. Van Heest The many shipwrecks presented in Lost and Found became even more famous after their discoveries than at the time of their losses, gaining notoriety as historic attractions,...  more »

Shipwreck exposed in Grand Haven, Michigan Identified as Historic Steamer Aurora
Low lake levels in the fall of 2012 resulted in the exposure of at least five shipwreck hulks along the edges of Harbor Island in Grand Haven, Michigan. Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates was called in to survey and identify the vessels, in...  more »

Discovery of Scow Schooner Shannon
On June 20th 1874 the two masted scow schooner Shannon let loose her lines from the coal dock at the port of Oswego. Around 4:00pm the Shannon passed Oswego light and headed out into the lake. She had just taken on 100 tons of anthracite coal owned by...  more »

Portion of Ill Fated Tow Found by Shipwreck Explorers in Deep Depths of Lake Ontario off Oswego, NY
Oswego, NY: At approximately 4:40am on the night of November 17th 1879 the crew of the dredge Gordon fought for their lives in a Lake Ontario gale. Few lived to tell the tale of the last moments before the barge turned on its side and sank in deep water....  more »

Cleveland Tiller Wreck May be Mackinaw
In 2010 Erie Wrecks authors Mike and Georgann Wachter discovered a two masted tiller steered schooner 18 miles off Cleveland, Ohio. Besides the 8 foot long tiller the vessel had a beautiful and unusual bow. No cargo was noted and since the wreck was 40...  more »

New Lake Erie Shipwreck Map
We are pleased to announce that our 36" x 24" laminated "Shipwrecks of Lake Erie" chart is now available. This artistic chart provides accurate GPS locations, paintings of vessels as they sit today, and images of ships before they sank. Many new wreck...  more »

Lost Deck Cargo Valued at $700,000 Found by Shipwreck Explorers in Lake Ontario
A large crane and associated construction equipment with an estimate worth of over $700,000 lost in a violent October gale in 1981 has been discovered by a team of shipwreck explorers in Lake Ontario.  more »

Schooner Barge Commodore discovered in Lake Erie
Mike and Georgann Wachter authors of the Erie Wrecks series of books are pleased to announce the discovery of the schooner barge Commodore. This 170 foot long vessel was lost on June 17, 1918 while being towed from Cleveland to Sandwich Ontario. The aging...  more »

Shipwreck discovery in Lake Ontario of 158 year old schooner Queen of the Lakes
A mid 1800's Canadian schooner, Queen of the Lakes, has been discovered in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Sodus Point, New York.  more »

Steamer L.R. Doty Found in Lake Michigan off Milwaukee
A group of Wisconsin marine historians and divers have announced the discovery of the missing steamship L.R. Doty, which vanished in a violent Lake Michigan storm 112 years ago, on October 25, 1898. The Doty was the largest wooden ship still missing on Lake Michigan, with an overall length of 300 feet.  more »

Shipwreck Explorers Discover 1850's Schooner in Lake Ontario
Rochester, New York - A mid 1800's schooner has been discovered in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Oak Orchard, New York. Shipwreck enthusiasts Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville finally located the old schooner after a search effort that took them more than 5 years.  more »

Shipwreck Explorers Discover 1890’s Steamer in Lake Ontario
Oak Orchard, New York - The steamer Samuel F. Hodge has been discovered in the deep depths off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Oak Orchard, NY. Shipwreck explorers, Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville, located the old steamer utilizing high resolution...  more »

LEGEND OF THE LAKE - New Discovery Edition Book - HMS Ontario
A story two centuries in the making: LEGEND OF THE LAKE (Discovery Edition) The 22-Gun Brig-Sloop HMS Ontario, 1780  more »

200 Year Old US Warship may be buried in creek in upstate New York
A 200 year old US warship may be buried in French Creek Bay near Clayton, New York. A cannon salvaged from the old hull of a shipwreck over a half century ago may be the link to the USS Oneida.  more »

200 Year Old “Dagger-Board” Schooner Discovered in Lake Ontario
A rare dagger-board schooner has been discovered in over 500 feet of water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario using deep towed side scan sonar equipment. Sailing vessels of this type were in use on the lakes for only a short period of time beginning in the very early 1800’s. This ship is the only dagger-board schooner known to have been found in the Great Lakes.  more »

Steamship Redfern and three other shipwrecks discovered in Lake Michigan
The wooden bulk freighter Redfern sunk in 1937 has been discovered in deep water in northern Lake Michigan.  more »

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New England coast
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Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario - A Journey of Discovery Book

The National Museum of the Great Lakes is excited to announce the release of a new book titled Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery. This book contains stories of long lost shipwrecks and the journeys of the underwater explorers who found them, written by Jim Kennard with paintings by Roland Stevens and underwater imagery by Roger Pawlowski.

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Legend of the Lake - New Discovery Edition Book

The recent discovery of the wreck of the British warship Ontario, “the Holy Grail” of Great Lakes shipwrecks, solves several mysteries that have puzzled historians since the ship sank more than two centuries ago. Now, for the first time, the whole tragic story of the Ontario can finally be told.

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