Lake Erie shipwreck uncovered by strong winds

Published on Nov. 28, 2025, 12:30 PM

By Thursday morning, water had re-covered the wreck

Strong winds that prompted an Environment Canada alert this week have laid bare Lake Erie shoreline not often seen.

But they also — briefly — uncovered a rarely-seen shipwreck.

Matt Vermette is the owner of The Dive Shop in Kingsville, Ont., and was out for a walk Wednesday night when he spotted something from afar.

“It was just really cool. I saw some birds sitting on a structure. I thought, oh, maybe it’s an old dock or something, right. And as I got closer, I said, ‘no, that’s, that’s definitely a shipwreck.’”

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It was about 150 metres out from shore, and about 51 metres long, Vermette estimated, also noting it’s a schooner because of the distinct “skeleton” of the wreck.

Even though he scuba dives often, it was a wreck he’d never seen, and there are many on Lake Erie. Vermette estimated at least a couple hundred, though there are maybe 20 or 30 that are commonly known.