Two divers have discovered the wreckage of a Canadian schooner from the mid-1800s at the bottom of Lake Ontario.
Shipwreck enthusiasts Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville, both from upstate New York, found the Orcadian nearly two years after they initially set out in search of it, using a high-tech sonar device they built themselves.
“It was almost a relief when we confirmed it,” Mr. Kennard said yesterday, adding his excitement wasn't the least bit diluted by the fact that he has discovered more than 200 shipwrecks over the past 35 years.
“They're all different. Different types of boats, some have the masts standing, some don't, some are rigs, some are schooners. Some have debris around the ship.”
It was in the early morning hours of May 8, 1858, when the Orcadian, which had departed from Bayfield, Ont., collided with the Chicago-bound Lucy J. Latham. News reports from the time say the Lucy J. Latham, which was carrying salt, rammed into the side of the Orcadian about 15 kilometres off shore near Sodus Bay, N.Y.
The Orcadian, hauling 8,200 bushels of wheat, started to take on a lot of water and began to sink. It was entirely below the surface within 10 minutes, but captain James Corrigal, his wife, their two children and the crew made it safely aboard the Latham.
Mr. Kennard's sonar images, which were originally taken last year, showed the ship had landed upright and had suffered extensive damage. It is also entirely encrusted with zebra mussels.
The divers confirmed it was the Orcadian in mid-August.
“We actually spend more time on land researching a shipwreck than being out there looking for it,” he said. “You have to be like a detective, going through different news reports. … Some of these captains didn't even know how far they were from shore, so there is a lot of misinformation you have to sort through.”
They also try to gather what wind conditions were like and where debris from the ships ended up on shore before they pinpoint a location that they will search with their equipment. One day on the water can cost about $150, not including the cost of divers, which they pay out of their own pockets. The pair have gone out 12 times so far this year.
There are estimates that the Great Lakes have as many as 4,700 shipwrecks. Five hundred of those were in Lake Ontario, but Mr. Kennard says there are probably about 200 left to discover.
He's never found “real” treasure, but doesn't expect to.
“Eventually, you have to resolve yourself to the thrill of discovery. So that's the real treasure, because nobody can take that feeling away from you.”
