Wreck Summary
| Type |
Shipwreck |
| Build |
Wooden, two masted schooner |
| Location |
Lake Erie
|
| Depth |
162 feet |
| Length |
??? feet |
| Built |
??? |
| Sank |
1870 |
| Access |
Boat |
| Experience Level |
Technical |
| Orientation |
Upright
|
The St. James is pristine.
When people say something as moronic as "You could float her and sail her away," they are talking about ships like the St. James. True, there is a certain amount of manure involved in the statement, but it is a description reserved for wrecks in the finest of condition.
There is eerily no damage to the St. James. There is not a board out of place on any visible part of the hull. Her two masts still stand (what a rarity!!!), her bow is exquisitely intact with the figurehead and draping chains, and even parts of the crows nest are still there.
Her wheel gives an idea of the amount of silt on the bottom of this lake. It is largely submerged in silt, several feet of it, in fact.
There are remnants of rigging, deadeyes, fishing nets around the crows nest, and machinery on the foredeck. At the front of the boat just below the bowsprit is the figurehead which is ornately carved in the shape of a ram’s head and looks fantastic. It is relatively free of the quagga mussels which cover most of the wreck because divers want to see this signature piece. It’s cleaning was also featured on a particularly memorable episode of Oceans of Mystery that if you get a chance to catch it on TV, do, and be prepared to laugh. They dive to 160′ on what looks like single-80’s, and one diver loses a fin and when he is back on the boat says "If that had happened in salt water I would be dead."
After years of searching the St. James, previously known as "Schooner X", was identified in 1998 thanks to Dan Lindsay finding the tonnage numbers.
It is with great sadness that I must add to this page that the aft mast of the St. James has finally fallen (as spring 2003).
