Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Other Names: None recorded
Official Number: 75530
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner
Builder: Unknown
Year Built: 1873
Dimensions: Unknown
Tonnage: Unknown
Cargo on Final Voyage: Wood products
Date of Loss: 3 June 1882
Location: Unknown; last reported en route from Charlevoix, MI to Milwaukee, WI
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: Unknown
Home Port: Charlevoix, MI
Owners: Presumed local merchant or firm
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: Unknown
Description
The J.P. DECOUDRES was a wooden-hulled Schooner constructed in 1873. Though specific specifications are lost to history, her nearly decade-long service suggests she was of typical design for Great Lakes trade — robustly built for regional cargo transport.
History
Primarily operating out of Charlevoix, Michigan, the J.P. DECOUDRES likely carried bulk cargo such as lumber, shingles, or other wood products vital to the 19th-century economy. Schooners like her formed the logistical backbone of Great Lakes trade routes connecting remote timber ports to major urban markets like Milwaukee and Chicago.
Final Dispositions
On 3 June 1882, during a run from Charlevoix to Milwaukee, she encountered a storm and was reportedly stranded and wrecked. No surviving incident report clearly defines the exact site or the state of the wreck. Casualty reports are also missing from official documentation.
Located By & Date Found
There is no record of the wreck having been found or surveyed. Her final position and structure remain unconfirmed.
NOTMARs & Advisories
None noted for this vessel. No official warnings or site designations have been issued in U.S. or Canadian Notices to Mariners.
Dive Information
Access: Not accessible
Entry Point: N/A
Conditions: Unknown
Depth Range: Unknown
Emergency Contacts: USCG Lake Michigan Sector
Permits: Required if site is discovered
Dive Support: Not applicable
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No records currently available regarding the crew roster or survivor reports. Recommended sources: local Charlevoix newspapers (June 1882), Great Lakes insurance rosters.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“June 3, 1882 — The Schooner J.P. Decoudres was stranded and wrecked in heavy weather. She was bound from Charlevoix to Milwaukee with a cargo of wood.” — Marine Disasters, Milwaukee Archives
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
U.S. Registry Number 75530. Enrolled at Charlevoix, Michigan. Ownership records incomplete. Insurance records presumed held under regional merchant marine policies.
Site Documentation & Imaging
None currently available. No sonar surveys, diver documentation, or photographic records exist for this vessel. Candidate for archival reconstruction and acoustic survey if site proximity is narrowed.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Rex Archive – J.P. DECOUDRES
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Lake Michigan Records
- Marine Disasters – Milwaukee Archive
References
- Great Lakes Rex – J.P. DECOUDRES Entry
- LinkstothePast.com – Milwaukee Marine Archive
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Lower Lake Michigan Vessel Records
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None recorded
Official Number: 75530
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: Unknown
Location Description: Presumed lost en route Charlevoix to Milwaukee
Vessel Type: Schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: Unknown
Condition: Presumed broken up; unlocated
Cause of Loss: Stranding during storm
Discovery Date: Not found
Discovered By: —
Method: —
Legal Notes: U.S. heritage protection applies if located
Hazards: None charted
Permits Required: Yes (if discovered or surveyed)