The Wreck of the
St. Peter

One of Lake Ontario's most impressive shipwrecks, the ST. PETER is located east of Putneyville, NY. This 135-foot, three-masted schooner rests upright and intact in 117 feet of water.

In the early daylight hours of October 27, 1898, the ST. PETER succumbed to a violent, early winter blizzard. Bound for Toledo, OH, she had left Oswego, NY the previous morning carrying a full load of coal. On the evening of the 26th, the schooner was approaching the safety of the Welland Canal when the storm struck her with 70 mile per hour winds. Unable to reach the canal, the captain ordered the ST. PETER to turn back east and run before the wind. The captain, his wife, and the ST. PETER's crew desperately fought for their lives during 12 long hours of darkness, 20-foot high seas, gale-force winds, and freezing sleet. Their battle was in vain. Only the captain survived the ordeal, rescued by a boat from the local Lifesaving Service.

The ST. PETER was rediscovered in 1971. An archaeological expedition retrieved many artifacts, most of which can be seen at the Wayne County Historical Society in Lyons, NY. The nearby Sodus Bay Lighthouse Marine Museum has wonderful interpretive displays about the region's maritime history. Also, a splendid booklet about the ST. PETER, "It Was A Dark and Stormy Night," by Richard J. Kilday, III, is available through the Rochester Museum and Science Center. The booklet tells the story of the calamity in vivid detail, using newspaper and first-person accounts. The archaeology team's work is also summarized.

Dive Site Information

Location: East of Pultneyville, NY GPS: N 43.18.702 W 77.07.839
Access: Boat Only.
Depth: 117 feet.
Visibility: 20 to 100 feet. Average 45 feet.
Temperature: 40 to 73 degrees F.
Skill Level: Advanced open water diver.
Bottom: Flat and silty.
Hazards: Lake Ontario weather is unpredictable and can change very rapidly from good to severe. Weather conditions and unexpected weather changes should be a constant consideration. Strong currents may be present if seas are running 3 feet or higher.
Description: The vessel is largely intact. The diving season is typically May through mid-October. May to early June and late summer are the best times to dive.

Painting and site plan courtesy of Mark Peckham.

Emergency Information

US Coast Guard Station: Sodus
Marine Band Radio: Channel 16
Phone: (315) 483-9816
Divers Alert Network: 919.684.8111

Dive Site Steward

Pultneyville Historical Society
PO Box 92
Pultneyville, NY 14538
www.pultneyvillehistoricalsociety.org

in partnership with the
Auburn Skin Divers
www.auburnskindivers.org