Algoma C 85766

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: SS Algoma
• Type: Passenger/Freight Steamer
• Year Built: 1883
• Builder: Aitken & Mansell, Kelvinhaugh, Glasgow, Scotland
• Dimensions: 270 ft (82.3 m) × 38.1 ft (11.6 m); Depth of hold: 23.3 ft (7.1 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 1,773 gross tons
• Depth at Wreck Site: 15 m / 50 ft
• Location: Greenstone Rock, Isle Royale, Lake Superior, Michigan, USA
• Coordinates: 48°06'41"N, 88°31'55"W
• Official Number: 85766
• Original Owners: Canadian Pacific Railway Company
• Number of Masts: 2 auxiliary sail masts

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

SS Algoma was a steel screw steamer equipped with two auxiliary masts. Built for CPR’s inland fleet, she featured multiple decks and accommodations for both freight and passenger service. Her compound steam engine (35″ & 70″ x 48″) by David Rowan, Glasgow, produced 1,225 hp. She was one of the earliest steel-hulled CPR vessels.

Description

SS Algoma was a steel screw steamer equipped with two auxiliary masts. Built for CPR’s inland fleet, she featured multiple decks and accommodations for both freight and passenger service. Her compound steam engine (35″ & 70″ x 48″) by David Rowan, Glasgow, produced 1,225 hp. She was one of the earliest steel-hulled CPR vessels.

History

Algoma entered service in May 1884 after being outfitted at Buffalo and possibly at Port Colborne. She operated the Owen Sound to Port Arthur route. On 5 November 1885, she departed Owen Sound with light passenger numbers and general freight. Caught in a violent gale and snowstorm, she ran aground on Greenstone Rock near Isle Royale around 4:40 a.m. on 7 November. Her hull broke in two.

The stern remained grounded; the bow section was lost or scattered. Survivors clung to wreckage or made it ashore. The CPR vessel Athabasca and local fishermen aided in rescue efforts. About 46 perished.

Significant Incidents

• 5 November 1885: Departed Owen Sound with light passenger numbers and general freight.
• 7 November 1885: Ran aground on Greenstone Rock during a storm; hull broke in two.
• Approximately 46 lives lost; around 14 survivors rescued by CPR vessel Athabasca and local fishermen.

Final Disposition

Algoma was declared a total loss. The engine and boilers were salvaged and later installed in CPR’s Manitoba. Remaining salvage was abandoned by 1888. Her stern remains near shore; other wreckage is scattered or submerged deeper.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck was known immediately after the disaster. Site surveys by the National Park Service and divers in later decades documented its condition.

Resources & Links

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SS Algoma serves as a significant historical site, protected as a cultural resource under Isle Royale National Park. Divers are advised to obtain permits and be aware of the general conditions of Lake Superior.