When the storm struck, the Lucerne was far from the shelter of Chequamegon Bay and was heading northeast up the exposed Michigan coastline toward the Keweenew Peninsula. Around 4 p.m. the following day, the Lucerne was spotted by the skipper of the steam barge Fred Kelley. The Lucerne was rolling and pitching in heavy seas off Ontonagon. All the schooner's sails were set except for its fore gaff-topsail . The Fred Kelley's mate reported that around nightfall he saw the Lucerne put about in the heavy snow squalls and gale -force winds, evidently heading back toward the safety of Chequamegon Bay. That was the last anyone saw the Lucerne afloat.

It appears Capt. Lloyd ran the Lucerne ahead of the storm. He might have been seeking the La Pointe light and hoping he could navigate around Chequamegon Point into the safety of Chequamegon Bay. Perhaps unable to see the beacon and unwilling to sail farther without bearings in island-dotted waters, Lloyd dropped anchor and hoped to ride out the storm.

The Lucerne gave in to the violent seas and sank on Nov. 17 or 18, 1886, 13 years after its first launch. On the morning of Nov. 19, the La Pointe lightkeeper discovered the ship, 60 miles west of where it was last sighted. It was wrecked in 17 feet of water off the beach of Long Island, Wis. Its spars were jutting out of the water.

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