(built ca. mid‑1850s; lost May 8, 1858)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Orcadian (two-masted Canadian Schooner)
• Year Built: circa mid‑1850s (exact build details not recorded)
• Cargo at Loss: 8,200 bushels of wheat
• Voyage: Bound from Bayfield, Ontario (Lake Huron) to Oswego, New York (Lake Ontario)
• Loss Date: May 8, 1858
• Loss Location: In open water (Lake Huron/Ontario corridor)

Circumstances of Loss

• In the very early morning of May 8, 1858, Orcadian collided with the Schooner Lucy J. Latham, which was outbound from Oswego with salt bound for Chicago. The collision occurred under darkness or pre-dawn conditions as the vessels crossed paths head-on. (shipwreckstories, Shipwreck World)
• As Orcadian began to sink, her rigging snagged on Lucy J. Latham’s bowsprit, which caused Latham’s Stern to lift 10–12 ft. The impact eventually broke Latham’s bowsprit and sent Orcadian to the bottom. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Casualties

• No lives lost—crew of both vessels were rescued safely. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Ownership & Master

• Owned by Rae & Bros., Hamilton, Ontario
• Master: Captain James Corrigal (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Final Disposition

• Orcadian sank rapidly after the collision. The sudden nature of the sinking and entanglement with Latham suggests she went down in deep water.
• No salvage attempts are recorded; she was declared a Total Loss.

Wreck Location

• The wreck site remains undocumented; no modern dive or archaeological verification exists.

Summary Table

Historical Significance & Context

• The Orcadian–Lucy J. Latham collision is noted for the dramatic entanglement of rigging, where the latter vessel’s Stern lifted significantly—highlighting the force of the impact. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, shipwreckstories)
• The incident underscores navigational hazards during overnight cargo operations on the Great Lakes in the mid-19th century.