- Steam Barge
- 114ft 35m Length
- 5 – 15 few 3m Depth
- Stoney Point, Lake Ontario
According to reports from Henderson Harbor, the steam barge Hinckley, owned by Captain A. R. Hinckley, was intentionally beached about ten days prior in Gravely Bay, between Henderson Harbor and Stony Point. Unfortunately, a severe gale that swept over Lake Ontario caused significant damage to the stranded vessel, ultimately resulting in its total wreck.
The gale, coming from the west, struck the steam barge while it was on a windward shore. Captain Hinckley had intentionally grounded the ship to prevent it from sinking in deeper waters after a leak was discovered and the pumps couldn’t keep up with the water ingress. The vessel rested on a rocky ledge, approximately 300 feet from the beach and a quarter mile west of Stony Point light. However, due to the weight of its cargo, the ship was heavily warped and listed, causing the port deck to be submerged in 14 feet of water. Its normal draft was 11.7 feet.
Efforts were made to salvage the Hinckley. The tug Salvage Prince and the George T. Davie, owned by the Pyke Wrecking Company from Kingston, came to assist. Despite working throughout the night, the crew managed to remove about 200 tons of the vessel’s 300-ton coal cargo, which was destined for Gananoque, Ontario. They also deployed three large pumps, but they were unable to make a significant impact on the water in the hold. Unfortunately, due to a shift in the wind and the subsequent high waves, the crew had to abandon the wreck, which was eventually pounded to pieces.
The Hinckley, built in 1902 at Chaumont, New York, was the last ship of Captain Augustus R. Hinckley’s fleet. Captain Hinckley was a well-known and active shipper in the region. The steambarge was registered at 232 gross and 188 net tonnage, measuring 114.4 feet in length, 24 feet in beam, and with a crew of nine. Captain Hinckley had a government contract for placing and retrieving buoys and markers, and the Hinckley was responsible for opening and closing navigation at the lake’s end each season. Four years earlier, Captain Hinckley’s barge Isabella H. had foundered at the entrance of Oswego harbor. The Hinckley itself was uninsured, but insurance coverage was in place for the cargo.
The final location of the Hinckley wreck was near Stony Point, New York, in Lake Ontario. It occurred on July 29, 1929, while the vessel was carrying a cargo of coal from Fairhaven, New York, to Gananoque, Ontario. After springing a leak, the ship eventually broke up.
Photo Gallery – CC Ben Ioset 2023 #
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