You’re walking along the beach on a fine spring day when you come across a piece of wood at the edge of the water. Intrigued by the long nails sticking out of it, you take a closer look before finishing your stroll. The next time you come down to the beach you notice another large piece of wood. Next thing you know the marine historians have been called in and you have some answers to your questions!
As it turns out, pieces of a shipwreck had been spotted by residents of Point Clark, Ontario over the last five years. But this spring pieces of wood were identified as parts of the wreck of the three-masted schooner Homer H. Hine.
The Homer H. Hine was a barge built in Fairport, Ohio in 1871 by Samuel McLean (or McClain). It was rebuilt as a schooner in 1874. The ship was wrecked on October 30, 1883. A note from the Northeast Michigan Oral History and Historic Photograph Archives states: “Waterlogged in Gale off Sand Beach, MI, crew rescued by tug KATE MOFFAT, drifted across lake & went to pieces at Pine Point, ONT.”
Some contemporary clippings can be found on the website Maritime History of the Great Lakes:
Kincardine, Ont. Nov. 1. — The bark HOMER HINE, lumber ladem, which was deserted by her crew off Sand beach yesterday, came ashore last night below Pine Point, about ten miles south of here. Her bowsprit, foretop masts, and canvas were carried away. She is apparently in no immediate danger of breaking up.
J.W. Hall Great Lakes Marine Scrapbook, Oct./Nov., 1883
The scow HOMER H. HINE, which has been missing on Lake Huron for several days drifted ashore ten miles south of Pine Point, on the Canadian shore, having been, as previously stated, abandoned by her crew. Her outfit is considerably demoralized, but her recovery is not improbable, the weather to that end being in her favor. – Detroit Report.
Marine Record
Nov. 8, 1883
The HOMER HINE, lumber laden, which was deserted off Sand Beach, came ashore below Pine Point, about ten miles south of Kincardine. Her bowsprit, foretop-masts, and canvas were carried away. She is apparently in no immediate danger of breaking up.
Marine Record
Nov. 8, 1883
HOMER H. HINE 150 Tons, and 12 years old a total loss on Lake Huron 1883. Valued at $2,000.
Lost Tonnage on the Lakes in 1883
Marine Record, December 27, 1883
HOMER HINE Schooner, foundered October 30, 1883. App. value $3,000 app. loss $4,000.
Casualty List for 1883
Toronto Globe, Dec. 4, 1883
This year a big storm must have caused the wreck to break up and begin washing ashore. Marine archeologist Scarlett Januses and marine historian Patrick Folkes were called on to identify and study the pieces. They in turned asked for volunteers from the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee to help with the investigation. As of the writing of the news stories a month ago the work to be done included:
- documenting the shipwreck pieces
- snorkeling the shore for more
- making detailed drawings of each piece
- recording as much information as possible
- reburying the pieces
- looking for the main wreck with side-scan sonar
Januses says that finding pieces of a shipwreck washed ashore is a good opportunity to observe them up close, which can be difficult with an underwater wreck. “Back in 1871 when it was constructed, there weren’t a lot of very good blueprints around and there’s details that are missing from the blueprints that are available,” she said. “So we’re trying to fill in the pieces of information that aren’t there, readily, already.”
As I learned last month, burying the wooden pieces preserves them so they can be studied again at a later date. Leaving them in the open would lead to drying and warping, and proper conservation is often far too expensive.
Sources
- “1800s shipwreck discovered near Point Clark, Ont.” by Scott Miller via CTV News (May 27, 2021)
- “The wreck of the Homer H. Hine is washing ashore, 138 years later” by Dennis Langlois (June 7, 2021)
- Great Lakes Vessel Database
- Northeast Michigan Oral History and Historic Photograph Archives
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes