Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: C.C. MARTIN
- Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
- Year Built: 1906
- Builder: 12-Mile Bay, Ontario (near Midland)
- Dimensions: 71 ft (21.6 m) length × 16 ft (4.9 m) beam
- Registered Tonnage: 78 gross tons
- Location: Off Key Harbour, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
- Official Number: C116670
- Original Owners: Midland, Ontario
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The C.C. MARTIN was a wooden steam-powered tug designed for towing barges and performing heavy labour support duties. Built in Ontario, her robust wooden hull and compact build made her well-suited for work along the rugged shorelines and isolated outports of Georgian Bay.
Description
C.C. MARTIN was 71 feet (21.6 metres) long and 16 feet (4.9 metres) wide. She registered at 78 gross tons and was powered by a single steam propeller. Her structure was suited for working in mixed weather, but her small size limited her survivability when caught in heavy seas — especially when burdened by unstable tow loads like timber barges.
History
On August 21, 1911, the C.C. MARTIN was towing the barge ALBATROSS on Georgian Bay when the latter began foundering suddenly. Historical accounts suggest that the ALBATROSS either took on water rapidly or capsized. As the towline tension increased, the ALBATROSS may have dragged the C.C. MARTIN stern-first into the lake.
Efforts were made by the ten crew members aboard C.C. MARTIN to save themselves. They managed to assemble a makeshift raft, but the severe conditions and remote location ultimately overcame them. All hands were lost, including Captain George Vent and his wife.
Significant Incidents
- August 21, 1911: C.C. MARTIN foundered while towing the barge ALBATROSS, resulting in the loss of the entire crew of ten.
Final Disposition
The vessel was declared a total loss. There is no evidence of salvage or recovery. It is presumed that the wreck lies undisturbed off Key Harbour in an unknown position.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the C.C. MARTIN has not been officially discovered or surveyed. Its location remains unknown.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”c-c-martin-c-116670″ title=”References & Links”]
The sinking of the C.C. MARTIN is a grim illustration of the dangers faced by small working vessels on Georgian Bay. Her loss — sudden, total, and tragic — underscores the inherent risks of early 20th-century lake towing operations, especially in remote or volatile waters. The incident remains one of the deadliest tug-related losses in Canadian Great Lakes history.
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
- Name: C.C. MARTIN
- Former Name: None
- Official Number: C116670
- Date Built and Launched: 1906
- Builder: 12-Mile Bay, Ontario (near Midland)
- Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
- Dimensions: 71 ft (21.6 m) length × 16 ft (4.9 m) beam
- Tonnage: 78 gross tons
- Date Lost: August 21, 1911
- Location of Loss: Off Key Harbour, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
- Cause of Loss: Foundered while towing the barge ALBATROSS
- Cargo: None
- Loss of Life: 10 (entire crew lost)
- Registered Home Port: Midland, Ontario
- Master: Captain George Vent
Vessel Type
The C.C. MARTIN was a wooden steam-powered tug designed for towing barges and performing heavy labour support duties. Built in Ontario, her robust wooden hull and compact build made her well-suited for work along the rugged shorelines and isolated outports of Georgian Bay.
Description
C.C. MARTIN was 71 feet (21.6 metres) long and 16 feet (4.9 metres) wide. She registered at 78 gross tons and was powered by a single steam propeller. Her structure was suited for working in mixed weather, but her small size limited her survivability when caught in heavy seas — especially when burdened by unstable tow loads like timber barges.
History
On August 21, 1911, the C.C. MARTIN was towing the barge ALBATROSS on Georgian Bay when the latter began foundering suddenly. Historical accounts suggest that the ALBATROSS either took on water rapidly or capsized. As the towline tension increased, the ALBATROSS may have dragged the C.C. MARTIN stern-first into the lake.
Efforts were made by the ten crew members aboard C.C. MARTIN to save themselves. They managed to assemble a makeshift raft, but the severe conditions and remote location ultimately overcame them. All hands were lost, including Captain George Vent and his wife.
Final Disposition
The vessel was declared a total loss. There is no evidence of salvage or recovery. It is presumed that the wreck lies undisturbed off Key Harbour in an unknown position.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck of the C.C. MARTIN has not been officially discovered or surveyed. Its location remains unknown.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no current notices to mariners or obstructions reported in connection to the C.C. MARTIN site.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – C.C. MARTIN
- Naval Marine Archive: Tow operations involving ALBATROSS [link to general barge records]
Conclusion
The sinking of the C.C. MARTIN is a grim illustration of the dangers faced by small working vessels on Georgian Bay. Her loss — sudden, total, and tragic — underscores the inherent risks of early 20th-century lake towing operations, especially in remote or volatile waters. The incident remains one of the deadliest tug-related losses in Canadian Great Lakes history.
Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms
Keywords: C.C. MARTIN, tugboat, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron shipwreck, ALBATROSS barge, 1911 sinking, Ontario maritime tragedy
Categories: Tugboat Losses, Georgian Bay Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Maritime History
Glossary Terms:
- Foundered: A vessel sinking due to flooding or hull breach
- Steam Tug: A small steam-powered vessel used for towing other ships or barges
- Towline Drag: The mechanical strain that occurs when a towed object pulls down or destabilizes its towing vessel