Identification & Site Information

• Name: Quail
• Former Names: None
• Official Registration Number: None (Canadian Registry)
• Date Built and Launched: 1868, Chatham, Ontario
• Measurements: Length: 77 ft (23.5 m) Beam: 14 ft (4.3 m) Depth: 4 ft (1.2 m) Tonnage: 34 tons
• Date of Loss: March 18, 1873
• Place of Loss: Bay of Quinte, at Northport, Ontario
• Lake: Ontario

Vessel Type

The Quail was a wooden sidewheel steamer designed for passenger and package freight transport. These vessels were common on Lake Ontario during the mid-19th century, providing essential services in connecting small towns and ports along the lake’s shoreline. Sidewheel steamers like the Quail were particularly well-suited for navigating narrow bays and rivers, such as the Bay of Quinte, where shallow drafts were advantageous.

Description

Built in 1868 at Chatham, Ontario, the Quail was a modest-sized Sidewheel Steamer measuring 77 feet in length. She served as both a passenger Steamer and a freight carrier, facilitating the transport of goods and people between ports along Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. The vessel had a shallow 4-foot Draft, enabling it to navigate the relatively shallow waters of the bay.

The Quail was owned by Captain Morden of Northport, Ontario, and was reportedly Rebuilt in 1871, suggesting that she had either undergone significant repairs or modifications to extend her operational life.

History and Service Life

During her short service life, the Quail was a key part of the local transportation network in the Bay of Quinte region. This area, with its sheltered waters and numerous small communities, relied heavily on vessels like the Quail for the movement of passengers, mail, and small freight. The Steamer operated out of Northport, Ontario, providing regular service until her destruction by fire in 1873.

Final Disposition and Loss (1873)

• Cause of Loss: Fire (Arson)
• Date of Loss: March 18, 1873
• Location: Northport, Ontario, Bay of Quinte
• While lying at her winter berth in Northport, the Quail was deliberately set on fire, resulting in the vessel being burned to the waterline. The incident was determined to be arson, though the perpetrators were not identified in historical records. The Total Loss was estimated at $7,000—a significant sum at the time, especially for a small, regional Steamer.

Despite the complete destruction of the vessel, there were no casualties, as the Quail was laid up for the winter and unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Loss of Life

None: The Quail was not carrying passengers or crew at the time of the fire, as it occurred during the off-season when the vessel was in winter storage.

Final Disposition

The Quail was burned to the waterline and considered a Total Loss. There is no evidence to suggest that she was Rebuilt following the fire, marking the end of her brief operational history on Lake Ontario.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No specific navigational hazards related to the Quail have been recorded. The Bay of Quinte remains a popular area for boating and recreational navigation, with no known obstructions linked to the wreck.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Maritime Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Prince Edward County Archives
• Bay of Quinte Tourism

Conclusion

The Quail represents the small sidewheel steamers that were vital to local transportation networks on Lake Ontarioand the Bay of Quinte in the mid-19th century. Built in 1868 at Chatham, Ontario, the vessel provided both passengerand freight services until her untimely destruction by arson in 1873 while laid up for the winter at Northport, Ontario. Though her operational life was brief, the Quail reflects the broader story of regional maritime commerce on the Great Lakes during this period, where small steamers played a critical role in connecting remote communities.

Suggested Keywords: Quail Sidewheel Steamer, Bay of Quinte shipwrecks, Lake Ontario maritime history, 19th-century steamers, Great Lakes arson shipwrecks, Northport Ontario Steamer fire.

Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario, Sidewheel Steamers of the Great Lakes, Maritime Disasters in Ontario, Arson-related Shipwrecks.

Glossary Terms: Sidewheel Steamer, Bay of Quinte Navigation, Arson Shipwreck, Passenger & Package Freight Vessel, Winter Berth Fires.