Site Description
- Schooner
- 55ffw 18m
- 100ft Length
- False Duck Island, Lake Ontario
- N43 56 62 W76 47 50
FABIOLA spans several decades, beginning in the mid-19th century. On October 6, 1853, it ran ashore in Port Burwell, Ontario, on Lake Ontario. Then, in October 1856, it sank in Port Stanley, Ontario, on Lake Erie. The ownership of the vessel changed hands over the years, with notable owners including Burton & Rowe of Whitby, Ontario in 1860, William Abercrombie of Picton, Ontario in 1865, Charles Wilson of Picton in 1868, Felix Lennon of Picton in 1870, and James O’Mara of Lombardy, Ontario in 1875.
In 1876, the schooner underwent a significant rebuild by James O’Mara in Portsmouth, Ontario, and was renamed FABIOLA. It had a tonnage of 175 tons. By 1886, it was owned by Ostrander & Company of Picton. In 1899, ownership transferred to Bates of Picton, and the vessel measured 95 feet in length, 23 feet in width, and 9 feet in depth, with a tonnage of 131 tons.
Tragedy struck on October 21, 1900, when the FABIOLA foundered with a cargo of coal off False Duck Island in Lake Ontario. The crew managed to escape in their yawl boat and landed at McDonald’s Cove. The vessel, owned by Captain Bates, was 30 years old at the time of the incident. It measured 100 feet in length and 22 feet in beam, with a tonnage of 147 tons. Both the vessel and its cargo were uninsured.
The history of the FABIOLA is further documented in historical articles. According to the Registry Books of the Dominion of Canada, the vessel was originally named the schooner ROYAL OAK, with the official Canadian number 72577. It was built in Oakville, Ontario, in 1852 and later rebuilt in Portsmouth, Ontario, in 1876. The home port of the FABIOLA was Picton, Ontario, and it was owned by James Swift of Kingston. In 1900, various news sources reported the unfortunate sinking of the FABIOLA near the False Ducks.
The 95 ft schooner Fabiola was built in 1852 and lost just south of False Ducks Island in 1900 while carrying a load of coal from Oswego. No lives were lost. Today it sits somewhat intact in 55 ft of water and is a popular dive site. The model was created from 2,097 images shot by Kayla Martin and Ken Merryman.
