SHALLOW WATER WRECKS: THE SCHOONER-BARGES MIDNIGHT & MEARS

I

THE MIDNIGHT AND MEARS

In 2016 Google Earth published some images of the lakes where the shoreline and shallow waters showed a great deal more detail than in previous publications. The above image is that of either the schoonerbarge MIDNIGHT or MEARS. The two were wrecked together on November 27th 1889 and have been scattering their pieces south of AuSable Point near Oscoda, Michigan ever since. Their story is detailed in my book, "True Tales of Ghosts and Gales" as in 2000 I was invited by Dr. John O'Shea, who has a cottage near the wreck site, to survey the wreck.

In 1999 I'd been asked to come to a fellow's cottage south of the wreck site where a large chunk of one of the vessel's beam ends had washed up near his dock. Yes, these pieces tend to travel. That find inspired me to research the the area and I uncovered the wrecks of the MIDNIGHT AND MEARS. So, when I visited the site with Dr. O'Shea, I already knew the whole story.

For generations local home owners have believed that the keelson was "just an old dock" and as we were surveying the site one lady came down to the beach and informed us that this was just an old dock. I asked her how she knew that? She said that he father had told her that. I then pointed out aspects of the wrecks site that showed otherwise and then told her the true story of the MIDNIGHT and MEARS. You could see her eyes turn from a look of dismissal to one of of wonder. Suddenly she went for casual observer to a protector of the site! No one was going to mess with these remains as long as she was residing nearby.

There is no way to actually tell exactly which of the two boats has left these bones as measurement is somewhat inconclusive.

Here's a great book on the study of wrecks along this shore

Much more of the wreck is hidden just beneath the sand and farther off shore. In fact some wreck-strippers from out of state began systematically stripping subsurface wood and transporting it across state lines in order to use it to make furniture. They were caught in the act in a soft-core sting conducted by the Michigan DNR and local law enforcement. Their operation was shut down in a very big way, property was reportedly seized and fins issued.

Of course pieces of the wreck that happen to wash up, "high and dry" can be lawfully collected. This piece, which may be from the wrecks, was used as decoration at a local resort.

Yet other pieces that come ashore are often dragged off by local residents who have no knowledge of the wrecks and burned in beach bonfires. Of course, you have to actually be able to lift them first.