1. ONMS
  2. Lake Ontario NMS
  3. Heritage
  4. Shipwrecks
  5. Unidentified Canal Boat

Unidentified Canal Boat

The partially intact starboard side of the bow, view looking aft.
The canal boat’s starboard side remains partially intact. Photo: NOAA/OECI

Ship stats

Depth: To be announced

Coordinates: To be announced

Vessel Type: Wooden canal boat

Length: 78.4 feet

Breadth: 14.5 feet

Gross Tonnage: Approximately 75

Cargo: None

Built: Unknown

Port of Registry at Loss: Unknown

Owner at Loss: Unknown

Date Lost: Unknown

Cause of Loss: Unknown

Loss of Life: Unknown

Historical Background

A view of the interior of the canal boat’s bow. The construction of the bow and the framing are visible.
The interior of the canal boat’s bow. Photo: NOAA/OECI
The sternpost stands upright amidst the collapsed remains of the canal boat’s stern.
The interior of the canal boat’s bow. Photo: NOAA/OECI

Nothing is known of the history or of the loss of this unidentified canal boat, which lies northeast of Oswego, New York. Based upon the vessel’s length of 78 feet and breadth of 14.5 feet, this vessel appears to have belonged to the largest class of canal boats constructed for the original Erie Canal between 1830 and 1850, though this does not exclude the possibility of its having been constructed at a later date. Further research is ongoing to identify this vessel.

This wreck was first discovered by Mr. Jim Kenanrd, Mr. Roger Pawlowski, and Mr. Roland Stevens in 2012. Initially identified as the schooner Ocean Wave, this identification was disproven in 2025 with the positive identification of Ocean Wave off Oswego. The site was documented in May 2025 by NOAA and its partners at the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.

Wreck Site

Photo model of an unidentified canal boat. Photo: NOAA/OECI

The wreck of this unidentified canal boat lies at depths beyond the limits of recreational diving (130 feet/30 meters) but accessible to technical divers, northeast of Oswego, New York. The canal boat’s hull is broken open and lies flat on the bottom with only the starboard bow remaining partly partially intact.