Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: ALEXANDRIA (also known as ALEXANDRA)
- Type: Sidewheeler Tugboat
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: Hull, Quebec
- Dimensions: Length 160 ft (48.8 m); Beam Approx. 24 ft (7.3 m); Depth of hold Approx. 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage:
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
- Location: Scarborough Bluffs, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: N43° 43.741′, W079° 12.678′
- Original Owners: Hepburn Bros. / Ontario & Quebec Navigation Co.
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The ALEXANDRA was a wooden sidewheeler tugboat, built in 1866 at Hull, Quebec, originally for the Ottawa River Navigation Co. Her low-pressure single-cylinder engine (33 in bore x 120 in stroke, approx. 200 HP) was repurposed from the earlier vessels SPEED (1846) and PHOENIX (1849). In 1883, she underwent a major rebuild, adding a second deck and new accommodations to enable passenger transport, reflecting the versatile evolution of many Great Lakes sidewheelers of the era.
Description
Originally designed for towing barges between Montreal and Ottawa, the ALEXANDRA’s long career included:
- 1873: Overhaul and transfer to Hepburn Bros. / Ontario & Quebec Navigation Co.
- 1880: Wrecked off Scarborough Highlands, but rebuilt in Montreal (Cantin Shipyard) in 1883 as a passenger vessel, renamed ALEXANDRIA
- 1889: Engine upgrades by Beauchamp & Sons, Sorel, Quebec
- 1890: Ran aground near Gananoque, Ontario, but salvaged
- 1901–1905: Registered in Picton, Ontario, under Arthur W. Hepburn, later transferred to Bernard R. and James D. Hepburn
On August 3, 1915, while carrying sugar, vinegar, and canned potatoes bound for Toronto, ALEXANDRIA encountered fog and a storm, running aground on a sandbar at Scarborough Bluffs. Heavy seas broke her up quickly, but the crew of 23 survived and were brought ashore. Souvenir hunters later stripped most of the valuable fittings.
History
Declared a constructive total loss. The wreck was never refloated and remains in shallow water near the Scarborough Bluffs.
Significant Incidents
The wreck location was known since the loss in 1915.
Final Disposition
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) apply, but divers should consult:
Use caution: shallow debris, unstable timbers, and wave surge can be hazardous.Current Condition & Accessibility
The remains of the ALEXANDRIA lie in about 3 m (10 ft) of water, easily visible to snorkelers and shallow divers. The wreck is heavily degraded, with paddlewheel fragments and hull timbers scattered across a wide area. Local current and wave action may shift debris over time.
Best time to dive: July to early September, with calmer conditions and clearer visibility.
Local Diver Resources:
- AquaSub Scuba (Toronto)
- Float N’ Flag Dive Centre (Burlington)
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”alexandria-c-85768″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The ALEXANDRA, later known as ALEXANDRIA, stands as a testament to the adaptability of 19th-century Great Lakes sidewheelers, evolving from towboat to passenger carrier before being lost in 1915. Her wreck, resting in shallow waters off Scarborough Bluffs, provides a window into Canadian maritime history and is a unique site for divers and historians alike.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Wreck Name: ALEXANDRA (also known as ALEXANDRIA)
- Type: Sidewheeler Tugboat
- Location: Scarborough Bluffs, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: N43° 43.741′, W079° 12.678′
- Depth: Approximately 3 m (10 ft)
- Length: 48.8 m (160 ft)
- Beam: Approx. 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Depth of Hold: Approx. 2.7 m (9 ft)
- Condition: Wrecked and largely stripped, scattered timbers and paddlewheel remains visible on the lakebed
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION
The ALEXANDRA was a wooden sidewheeler tugboat, built in 1866 at Hull, Quebec, originally for the Ottawa River Navigation Co. Her low-pressure single-cylinder engine (33 in bore x 120 in stroke, approx. 200 HP) was repurposed from the earlier vessels SPEED (1846) and PHOENIX (1849). In 1883, she underwent a major rebuild, adding a second deck and new accommodations to enable passenger transport, reflecting the versatile evolution of many Great Lakes sidewheelers of the era.
HISTORY
Originally designed for towing barges between Montreal and Ottawa, the ALEXANDRA’s long career included:
- 1873: Overhaul and transfer to Hepburn Bros. / Ontario & Quebec Navigation Co.
- 1880: Wrecked off Scarborough Highlands, but rebuilt in Montreal (Cantin Shipyard) in 1883 as a passenger vessel, renamed ALEXANDRIA
- 1889: Engine upgrades by Beauchamp & Sons, Sorel, Quebec
- 1890: Ran aground near Gananoque, Ontario, but salvaged
- 1901–1905: Registered in Picton, Ontario, under Arthur W. Hepburn, later transferred to Bernard R. and James D. Hepburn
On August 3, 1915, while carrying sugar, vinegar, and canned potatoes bound for Toronto, ALEXANDRIA encountered fog and a storm, running aground on a sandbar at Scarborough Bluffs. Heavy seas broke her up quickly, but the crew of 23 survived and were brought ashore. Souvenir hunters later stripped most of the valuable fittings.
FINAL DISPOSITION
Declared a constructive total loss. The wreck was never refloated and remains in shallow water near the Scarborough Bluffs.
LOCATED BY & DATE
The wreck location was known since the loss in 1915.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) apply, but divers should consult:
Use caution: shallow debris, unstable timbers, and wave surge can be hazardous.
CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY
The remains of the ALEXANDRIA lie in about 3 m (10 ft) of water, easily visible to snorkelers and shallow divers. The wreck is heavily degraded, with paddlewheel fragments and hull timbers scattered across a wide area. Local current and wave action may shift debris over time.
Best time to dive: July to early September, with calmer conditions and clearer visibility.
Local Diver Resources:
- AquaSub Scuba (Toronto)
- Float N’ Flag Dive Centre (Burlington)
RESOURCES & LINKS
- Great Lakes Ships
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Naval Marine Archive
- Save Ontario Shipwrecks
- Toronto Star Photograph Archive, image dated August 3, 1915, William James, photographer: Digital Archive Ontario
CONCLUSION
The ALEXANDRA, later known as ALEXANDRIA, stands as a testament to the adaptability of 19th-century Great Lakes sidewheelers, evolving from towboat to passenger carrier before being lost in 1915. Her wreck, resting in shallow waters off Scarborough Bluffs, provides a window into Canadian maritime history and is a unique site for divers and historians alike.
KEYWORDS
ALEXANDRA, ALEXANDRIA, Sidewheeler Tug, Scarborough Bluffs, Lake Ontario, Maritime History, Great Lakes Shipwreck, Towboat, Passenger Service, Canadian Marine Heritage
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