A shipwreck resting for more than 150 years in Lake Erie has been identified as the Clough, a stone-hauling sailing vessel built in Lorain, Ohio, in 1867. The ship sank in 1868 while transporting limestone, cutting short its brief service life.
The Clough wreck was discovered by Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE), who worked alongside researchers from the National Museum of the Great Lakes to confirm its identity through archival research and underwater investigation. Sonar imaging, structural details and historical records helped match the wreck to the long-lost vessel.
The Clough wreck site is associated with the tragic loss of CLUE founder David VanZandt, who died in June 2024 while diving for the wreck…