Corsican

Photomosaic of the wooden schooner of Corsican
Photomosaic of the wooden schooner Corsican.

Vessel Type: Sail: Wooden two-masted schooner

GPS Location: N44°54.760' W83°03.300'

Depth: 160 Feet

Wreck Length: 112 Feet

Beam: 25 Feet

Gross Tonnage: 210

Cargo: Coal

Launched: 1862 by H. Rogers in Olcott, New York

Wrecked: June 1, 1893

Mooring buoy: No

Description: On a foggy morning in June, the steel steam barge Corsica collided with the wooden schooner Corsican off Thunder Bay in Lake Huron. The schooner was nearly cut in two and went to the bottom instantly taking its entire crew with it.

Today, this grave site rests on the lake bottom. The cabin and stern of the wreck have large sections missing and piles of jumbled wreckage cover the collapsed deck. The ship’s steering wheel is wrenched upwards and no longer attached to the rudder. The bow windlass is still wrapped with anchor chain and rigged spars rest atop the wreckage, as well as in the adjacent lake bottom.

Great Lakes Maritime Collection digital archive: http://greatlakeships.org/2894136/data?n=1

The wheel of Corsican
The wheel of Corsican rests amongst the wreckage.
Wooden spar of Corsican
A wooden spar lays across the deck of Corsican, rigging still attached.
Coriscan ships bow with windlass still in place
View of Corsican’s bow with windlass still in place.