Little of the Fleetwing' s gear and few of the crew's personal possessions were left to the archaeological record. After the ship ran aground, the crew had time to collect their belongings, and other equipment was sold to the captain of the schooner Conquest . The owners of the cargo were able to salvage most of their lumber by sending a tug and two lighters .

Scuba divers first found the Fleetwing in the mid-1950s. Her several sections lie in 5-30 feet of water, about 110 feet from shore and 350 feet northeast of the public boat landing at Garrett Bay (view a map of the site). Unfortunately, the remains of the Fleetwing have suffered greatly from vandalism. Thoughtless divers have torn up the hull of the once proud vessel for souvenirs.

Today, the Fleetwing remains an interesting and accessible example of a post-Civil War Great Lakes merchant schooner. Her history, with its changes of ownership and cargoes, offers a picture of schooner use during the last days of sail on the lakes. Vessels like the sturdy Fleetwing braved lake gales, winter ice, hard times, and increasing competition from steam as they made possible the settlement and economic development of the Great Lakes region.

Check out the Fleetwing today.