IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION: #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The Olivia was a typical wooden two-masted schooner, built for the bulk transportation of goods across the Great Lakes. Like many schooners of her time, she was constructed to be a versatile and reliable workhorse, capable of carrying a variety of cargoes such as coal, grain, and lumber. These vessels were essential to the economic development of the region, connecting small ports and communities around the Great Lakes with larger markets.
HISTORY #
The Olivia was launched in 1853 at Bronte, Ontario, and registered in Toronto. Her early years are marked by her involvement in the tragic Ocean Wave incident in 1853, where she, under her former name Emblem, rescued 19 survivors from the burning steamer. The vessel was subsequently rebuilt and renamed Olivia. Over the years, she became a familiar sight in various ports around Lake Ontario, serving as a dependable carrier in the region’s busy maritime trade.
By the late 1870s, the economic conditions were tough, and the Olivia struggled to remain profitable. Captain George O’Brien, who sailed her during these hard times, found it increasingly difficult to secure steady and profitable cargoes. The vessel was carrying coal from Oswego to Toronto at rates as low as twenty cents per ton, which barely covered operational costs. The situation was so dire that Captain O’Brien eventually decided it was no longer viable to keep the schooner in service, and in 1886, he sailed her into Picton Harbor and ran her aground in Young’s Cove, where her frames can still be seen today.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
The Olivia met her end in Young’s Cove, Picton, Ontario, where she was intentionally grounded by Captain George O’Brien in 1886 due to the unprofitability of continuing her operations. The vessel was left to deteriorate, and as water levels in the cove receded, her remains were gradually uncovered, revealing the skeletal structure of what was once a hardworking schooner.
LOCATED BY & DATE: #
The wreckage of the Olivia was exposed due to receding water levels in Young’s Cove, Picton, Ontario. The exact date of the discovery is not noted, but it occurred well after the vessel was abandoned in 1886.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES #
There are no current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) or advisories related to the wreck of the Olivia.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
CONCLUSION #
The Olivia is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by schooner men during the tough economic times of the late 19th century. Despite her serviceable design and years of operation, the vessel could not overcome the financial difficulties of the period. Her remains now lie in Young’s Cove, a testament to the storied past of the Great Lakes’ maritime history.
Keywords: Olivia, schooner, Lake Ontario, shipwreck, maritime history, Picton, Young’s Cove.
