Ship Wreck in Lake Minneola, Clermont, Florida

[FLauthor]

During the early 1900's, rafts of logs were pulled from one lakeshore to another to be loaded onto railcars then transported to a distance sawmill. During a sudden and vicious Thunderstorm, the little steam packet boat used to pull the rafts across the lake was swamped and sank into 30 feet of water. I ran a scan of the bottom back in the 1980's and saw several pilings sticking up from 30 feet. When I questioned the old timers in the area, they told me that they were cypress and pine logs that became water logged and sank. During the last drought we had, I found the old railway tracks on the lake bottom with a 1918 catsup bottle buried beneath the rails. To find the old steam boat, triangulate off the City Park swimming pier and the old boat ramp to the left and aim toward the canal bridge on the western shore. Where they cross, is supposed to be the location of the steam boat. Being in freshwater, its probably intact. Good luck.

Harry

[rik]

Did you dive on the logs?
Any idea on the size and quantity?
Thanks,
Rik

[flagold]

Nothing on it but the boat.? There's pictures of it in the Clermont Library (or used to be).? If you can picture a dory hull ( http://www.c-dory.com/22%20trailer.htm ) with a little upright steam engine sitting in it, you've got the picture.? Kind of like the "African Queen" (my Uncle -- Roy Baker owned that movie boat) engine.

Good Luck!
Matt Mattson

http://www.treasuresites.com