28' Wreck near Bear Island w-pictures

[Diver1111]

Found this last week while looking for something else near it; Barely recognizable on side-scan as something to check out-almost passed on diving it; Scuttled with prop gone, the hull is nearly intact and looks good.

A 2nd dive and approaching from the north lead me to a massive metal object about 20 feet away from this wreck; It is cube-shaped, badly encrusted and has 3 foot diameter wheels of sorts covered in rubber just like a tire and is about 3'x3'x3' square.

I'd like help figuring out what it is-of course I'm thinking an engine of sorts. It is pretty wild looking.

No plans to video tape this one.

[SIKSUKR]

I'm starting to think that Diver1111 has found more wrecks in Winni that were previously known about in total.

[Diver1111]

43 38.479n
71 23.439w

wgs84

[no-engine]

might report to marine patrol........

That is you the diver should, not me.

[SharkBaitDiving]

How deep was she Diver 1111??????

[Diver1111]

About 26 feet.

Side-scan shots attached. If anyone can help figure out what the massive steel cube is all about I'd like to hear about it.

As to reporting it to MP not sure why that would be necessary.

[Bear Islander]

I checked that location on my map and found it interesting. Several years ago while mapping the island I found a very old road that leads from the church down to the lake after winding down the southern half of the island. The road is gone in some areas but can be seen in others. The road arrives at the lake right next to the wreck location.

The was a observation tower built on the peak of South Bear in 1900, then in 1927 the tower became part of "St. Johns on the Lake" church. I'm wondering if the boat and cube could be part of these construction projects.

The cube strikes me as a trailer equipped with an early version of off road tires. Possible a generator. It is reminiscent of the hand carts with bicycle tires that are still used at the camps.

[Slickcraft]

Maybe cast iron wheels with cut outs to keep the weight down mounted on a farm gas engine:

http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-972140/pr-fancy-old-cast-iron-cutout-farm-wheels-gas-engine-garden-cart--wagon.html

[Diver1111]

What brought me to this area of E. Bear in the first place was a search for a wharf I noted on a 1909 U.S. Geo. Survey topo map-attached.

Look carefully at the 8 o'clock position below the "B" in the text that reads "East Bear Island" and you will see a black mark extending out into the water-clearly it's not a camp in fact it's a wharf. Not there anymore of course.

I was told it was for mail and supplies for a summer camp on the island years ago. Perhaps your road lead to it.

As a matter of routine when I am in an area looking for whatever I always run side-scan around it to see what else might be there-and there was of course this vessel.

Your idea about the wheel is interesting. Quite a mystery-it's very big..