Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Munson
- Type: Wooden Dredge Barge
- Year Built:
- Builder:
- Dimensions: 100 ft (30 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Depth at Wreck Site: 33 m / 110 ft
- Location: Lemoine Point, Kingston, Lake Ontario
- Coordinates: N44°12.5690′, W76°36.4960′
- Original Owners: E. A. Munson
Wreck Location Map
History
The dredge Munson was owned by E. A. Munson of Cobourg, Ontario, a contractor specializing in marine dredging projects. E. A. Munson’s dredging company was based out of Belleville, and the Munson was often stationed there between jobs. Its primary purpose was to maintain adequate water depth in harbors and channels, supporting shipping and infrastructure development. Throughout the late 1880s, the Munson was employed on various contracts to deepen harbor entrances, remove silt, and assist in marine construction projects. It was a utilitarian work vessel: essentially a floating steam shovel used to excavate mud and stone from river and lake beds and load it onto scows for removal. The barge was typically moved to worksites by a dedicated tugboat. In fact, E. A. Munson also owned a steam tug named Emma Munson, which regularly towed the dredge and its attendant scows from one job to the next. The Munson‘s robust build and steam machinery made it invaluable for late-19th-century harbor improvements in Eastern Lake Ontario.
Significant Incidents
- April 29, 1890: The Munson sank off Lemoine Point due to a hull leak that worsened rapidly, leading to uncontrollable flooding.
- April 26, 1890: The Munson successfully facilitated the launch of the Minnedosa, the largest Canadian sailing vessel built on the Great Lakes at that time.
Final Disposition
After sinking, the Munson was deemed unrecoverable by a salvage diver who inspected the wreck shortly after the incident. The dredge was left at the bottom of Lake Ontario, essentially written off by its owners and insurers. Over time, the exact location of the wreck faded from memory, occasionally referred to as off “Loosemore’s Point” in older records.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The Munson remains astonishingly well-preserved in Lake Ontario’s cold freshwater. The wreck sits upright on the silty lakebed at about 110–115 feet (33–35 m) depth. Both of the barge’s decks are still intact and firmly in place, giving divers the rare opportunity to explore a two-level wooden vessel from the 1890s. The hull’s wooden timbers and structural beams remain sound, and three tall vertical spuds rise from the wreck, still standing roughly 60 feet high from the deck. The dredge’s heavy steam machinery is largely still on site: the boiler, steam engine, winches, and the base of the crane mechanism are all visible on the lower deck. The massive digging bucket (steam shovel) that once jutted from the bow has fallen off and now lies on the lakebed near the stern of the wreck. Nearby on the bottom rests the Munson‘s small lifeboat, which the crew never had a chance to launch.