David Trotter has been involved in Great Lakes shipwrecks………… searching, diving, exploration, and documenting new discoveries for 40+ years. The solving of “History’s Mysteries” has made significant contributions to the history of our Great Lakes and provided new exploration opportunities for sport and technical divers to enjoy. David has searched and discovered shipwrecks in all the great lakes (except Lake Ontario). In a unique odyssey, the 15 years of dedicated effort to discover the largest schooner built in Canada (The 250’ Minnedosa) has now resulted in surveying over 2,500 square miles of Lake Huron. This has been a one-of-a-kind adventure with 90 new sites, including airplanes, the steamer Daniel J Morrell, the steamer W. C. Franz, the schooner Marion Egan, the steamer Hydrus (Great Storm of 1913), the whaleback Clifton, and the steamer Goliath (Naming a few of the discoveries). The Goliath was designed by John Ericsson in 1846, fifteen years before he designed the Ironclad Monitor of Civil War fame.
David believes the Great Lakes are “Our Treasure” to be enjoyed by all who love our “Inland Seas” and our maritime history. It is the shipwreck hunter discovering and the diver exploring a shipwreck (In 20’ or 300’ of water) that has that unique experience of traveling back into time.
Minnedosa : Final Report
The Minnedosa (Length-250′) was the last and the greatest of the thousand schooners built in Canada for the Great Lakes. The loss of the four masted Minnedosa, her discovery, and the exploration of this “one of a kind” vessel is a great story of adventure with the unfolding of very unusual events. What happens to the Minnedosa in the 15 years following her discovery is an equally fascination story that can be only be shared by exploring her today!
