IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The LONDONDERRY, originally registered as QUEBEC (2), was a large steel sailing barge built in 1901 by Carrier-Laine Co. in Lèvis, Quebec. With a gross tonnage of 1016.88 tons and a net tonnage of 988.75 tons, this three-masted vessel was designed for the transport of heavy cargo, including lumber. It was a sister ship to the HAMILTON, sharing similar construction and design characteristics.
HISTORY #
The QUEBEC (2) had a storied history filled with incidents and operational challenges. It was frequently docked for maintenance and caulking and suffered multiple groundings throughout its career. Significant incidents included a grounding near Charlotte, New York, in 1906, and a more severe stranding on Main Duck Island in 1915. In 1919, a tragic explosion at a grain transfer elevator in Port Colborne, Ontario, resulted in the deaths of eleven people, including a crew member from the QUEBEC (2). The barge was declared a constructive total loss but was later rebuilt and returned to service.
In 1929, the barge was renamed LONDONDERRY. It changed ownership several times over the following decades, being part of fleets operated by Sincennes-MacNaughton Lines, McAllister Towing, and McAllister-Pyke Salvage. The LONDONDERRY was finally scuttled off Amherst Island in Lake Ontario, where it remains to this day.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
The LONDONDERRY was scuttled in the waters off Amherst Island, Lake Ontario, in the late 1960s. The wreck now lies at a depth of 250 feet, where it has become a site of interest for advanced technical divers.
CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY #
The wreck of the LONDONDERRY is situated in deep water, making it accessible primarily to advanced divers with the necessary training and equipment for deep diving. The site is intact, although heavily encrusted with aquatic life. Due to its historical and structural significance, the wreck is of particular interest to those studying Great Lakes maritime history.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
For further information and historical records on the LONDONDERRY and other shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, you may refer to the following resources:
