Posted by Jim Jarecki on July 15, 1999 at 02:32:13:
In Reply to: St. Mary's posted by Mike on July 14, 1999 at 15:16:51:
: as much about this shipwreck as possible, I'm not sure if anything has been posted in regards to location, gps,
: loran or any facts surrounding her. I would like to dive her. If anyone has any info. thanks
I have found more references to this boat as the St. Mary with no "s" but either way it is a very nice little wreck site. This wreck has not been positively identified but there is enough evidence for me to be comfortable with calling her the St. Mary. Brendon's post covers most of known information. She was a lumber schooner and had just unloaded her cargo at the Canal St. Docks in Chicago and began her return trip with a mere 20 tons of pig iron as ballast. This light load may have played a significant role in her foundering in the storm that night. She may have had as many as 11 crew on board and all hands were lost. She now rests 10 miles due east from Highland Park Illinois in about 107'. There are a couple nice anchors, the windlass now points upwards at about a 45 degree angle , the bow appears to be the point of impact as it is very badly damaged, her 2 masts now lay across the deck, the rudder lays on the sand with the draft marks still clearly visible, and near the stern, framed by a small cutout in the deck, is the ships wheel. The wheel is very small and slightly broken, but it is so rare to see a wheel on a wreck that I most sincerely ask everyone to Please Leave It where it is for everyone to enjoy. The coordinates for this site have been made public and as sadly expected, many deadeyes are already missing. I hope everyone has a chance to dive and enjoy this wreck site but please leave it as you find it so that future divers can enjoy this wreck site as well. To visit this site, I recommend contacting Enterprise Marine or Capt. Dales dive shop in Wheeling IL since they are the only charter boat that I know of that regularly visits this site. If you have your own boat, please avoid anchoring directly into this wreck and most importantly, please do not grapple this site since the wheel could easily be destroyed. It would be good to check with Capt. Dale's to see if there is a mooring buoy on this site before you go there. I don't have GPS but the Loran that I used is N-42 11.29 W-87 36.07
A couple years ago at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival, there was a video presentation of the wreck of the Defiance. The Defiance was the St. Mary's sister ship and is in excellent condition although it is also quite deep.