Wreck of the David W. Mills

Shallow depths and the absence of penetration areas make this a popular dive for newly certified divers and experienced divers alike ..

At 5:30 a.m. on August 11, 1919, the 202-foot steamship David W. Mills slammed into Ford Shoal, four and a half miles west of Oswego. The 925-ton vessel was the victim of freakish circumstances. Immense forest fires in Canada, combined with late summer weather, blanketed Lake Ontario in a fog so thick visual navigation was impossible. The Mills had just left Oswego and Captain Matthew Langan, a resident of the city, had ordered his wheelman to veer the ship southward in hopes of following the shoreline to Sodus. Before ever sighting land, the Mills grounded on the shoal. Efforts to free the Mills proved futile and a violent storm tore her to pieces, ending her 45-year career of carrying lumber and coal throughout the Great Lakes.

Shallow depths and the absence of penetration areas make this a popular dive for newly certified divers. Experienced divers find the wreck very relaxing, allowing for detailed observation of vessel construction and longer site exploration, often not possible on deeper wrecks. Photographers and videographers appreciate the bright natural light, and the vessel’s machinery make good photo props. There are a variety of fish that inhabit the area. Diving is possible May through October. May to early June and late summer are the best times to dive.

(Information is courtesy of www.visitoswegocounty.com)
 

 

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