2011 was a season mixed with success and failures. The spring started with a
return to the Battle site survey War of 1812 project. Expanding the search area
by adding more sections to the north and to the west. As usual, many
magnetometer targets were recorded and a couple of promising side scan targets
were found. Magnetometer use was limited by a very tight schedule and it was
decided to focus on searching new areas instead of checking on existing targets.
By Memorial Day weekend we had completed the search grid. The primary survey
work for this project is now complete. There are many, many anomalies to be
checked and lots of dive time will be needed to verify all of these
possibilities. We did confirm the side scan targets to be modern debris,
probably lost from the Camp Perry aircraft.
Frustration! I just cannot find it. A well documented wreck sunk near South
Bass Island continues to elude me. I have extended the search area and still
have not located this stubborn wreck. A stone barge was discovered but it is not
the shipwreck I am looking for. Lots and lots of time has been spent looking at
lake bottom. As the old shipwreck hunters saying goes..... "We know where it's
not"
2010 returned to a more normal level of activity with no scheduled survey
work on the calendar. The boat required an increased amount of maintenance prior
to launch which started the season very, very late. Picking up on survey areas
that had been started in prior years, it didn't take long to find the first new
shipwreck of the season. A very nice little stone barge close to South Bass
Island was discovered. This wreck is unidentified but was probably a local work
barge and may not have been in the registry. She is completely open and full of
stone. Several targets identified in the BofLE survey were planned for further
investigation but scheduling conflicts and other priorities never allowed the
trip so that work is now planned for 2011. A number of side scan trips were made
to fill in sections of prior search areas and a small boat was located off
Kelleys Island among other small debris and objects. Finally, all the potential
targets found in previous side scan surveys were checked and verified,
unfortunately these all turned out to be natural obstructions.
The 2009 season was consumed by two major projects. The search for the
original battle site during the War of 1812 fight between Oliver Hazard Perry
and Robert Heroit Barclay in the Battle of Lake Erie, 1813.
The Battle of Lake
Erie and Vessel Anchorage Survey was set up to utilize sonar and magnetometer
technology to survey the bottom of the lake bottom. After analysis of these
survey results, the plan was to investigate possible targets with divers and an
underwater metal detector. The survey was initially set up to run 100’ line
spacing, to hopefully cover about 7 square miles of lake. Since the magnetometer
would not likely detect buried cannonballs in 100’ line spacing, we decided to
make the lines only 50’ wide. This is a very small, but high intensity scan
process. Because the spacing was reduced, we were only able to cover 3 square
miles. This area was 3½ miles east to west and about 1 mile north to south.
Over the course of 4 weeks and 14 actual work days that we were able to survey,
we collected an enormous amount of data. In the end, we noted over 1000
magnetic anomalies, each a possible target and several side scan targets.
Work on the Battle Site was
suspended in order to move to the ANTHONY WAYNE wreck site. Work continued with
the Texas A&M graduate program team conducting a detailed investigation of the
horizontal engine and associated equipment by dredging this area of the wreck.
Thirty days were spent in this survey project including a detailed sub-surface
scan of the area around the exposed wreckage. Utilizing a sub-bottom profiler,
the unexposed portions of the wreck were identified and mapped.
A return to the Battle Site survey
area late in the year involved many investigative dives to determine the source
of individual anomalies. Many beer cans, shells and miscellaneous junk was
located as well as some very interesting iron fragments that remain
unidentified.
We did manage to squeeze in some
time for side scan searching and were able to find at least one new vessel. A
very fine intact schooner/barge yet to be identified.
The 2008 season was filled with shipwreck activities. Early in the year
several verification searches were made on sites that showed possible targets
from previous side scan surveys. Unfortunately, no new discoveries were made.
Beginning is mid June daily dives were made to the steamboat Anthony Wayne.
Underwater archaeological studies were completed over four weeks until mid July
by Texas A&M University and Great Lakes Historical Society divers. One new
schooner was discovered but only two dives were made on this shipwreck. More
dives are planned in 2009 with pictures and video documentation to follow. Plans
are being developed for the Battle of Lake Erie 1812 survey to begin in the
Spring of 2009. Research and study of the actual battle site is expected to be
exciting and informative on this historically significant event.
The 2007 season added several new shipwreck discoveries. Over 100 hours
of side scanning was completed with the discovery of four new shipwrecks. All of
these are believed to be virgin sites. One barge, two schooners, one scow.
Additional research will be necessary to confirm details that will provide more
positive identification of these wrecks. Until then they will remain unnamed
although their location and cargos allow a short list of probable vessels,
If you have information on any of
the shipwrecks in Western Lake Erie waters, please share the information here so
it can be added to the list of shipwrecks that have been located.
Recent Projects by Lake Electronics
Lake Electronics publishes several "out of print" journals and periodicals in
electronic format. Original publications are converted to PDF (portable document format)
an ADOBE® product that is universally readable. The advantage is regardless of the
computer system in use, the electronic publications will look the same on all systems. The
electronic versions of the original documents are identical in every way. Page layout,
graphics, text size, font and style are all preserved as the original. Currently, we are
working on the Great Lakes Historical Society's INLAND SEAS JOURNALS. A sample of the
first publication, January, 1945, can be viewed on another page.
Detroit District Vessel Enrollments 1818 - 1889
List of Merchant Vessels of the United States 1868 - 1910
Logbooks of the US Revenue Cutter Erie 1833 - 1846
Canadian Dept of Transport Records Register of Wrecks
Marine Record 1883 - 1903
