Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Enterprise (later sometimes called Mariposa Belle)
- Type: Steam excursion / passenger vessel (converted)
- Year Built: Circa 1868
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: ~ 89 ft length (27 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: Mulcaster Street wharf, Barrie (initial sinking) → Jackson’s Point, Lake Simcoe
- Coordinates: Unknown (diver-reports approximate position)
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Local operators (not fully documented)
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Enterprise likely began life as a schooner named Couchiching (circa 1868), then was converted in about 1883 with the installation of twin-screw propulsion, becoming one of the few (or only) vessels on Lake Simcoe with dual propellers.
The refit may have included structural reinforcement and internal reconfiguration, but original plans or builder’s records are not located in the materials reviewed.
Contemporary and later sources refer to her as a steam excursion / passenger vessel, carrying people around the lake.
Description
The precise beam, draft, boiler/engine specs, and internal layout of the Enterprise remain undocumented in the sources reviewed.
History
The Enterprise served on Lake Simcoe in passenger and excursion service, linking Barrie, Jackson’s Point, and adjacent points, likely under local operators.
By August 1903, the vessel developed mechanical and pumping failure while en route from Big Bay Point toward Barrie (per local municipal record). Approaching Barrie, she was taking on water at a rate exceeding her pumps. The crew attempted to manage flooding and prevent water reaching the fire/boiler compartment. Unable to hold off the flooding, they pressed on to the Mulcaster Street wharf, where all aboard disembarked safely. Minutes later, the flooding overwhelmed the vessel, extinguished her steam, and she sank at the wharf.
According to Warren Lo Photography‘s narrative, after the sinking she was later refloated, sailed to Jackson’s Point, stripped of machinery, and deliberately scuttled in deeper water off Jackson’s Point.
Significant Incidents
- August 1903: The Enterprise sank at Barrie wharf due to mechanical failure and flooding.
- Post-sinking: The vessel was refloated, stripped of machinery, and scuttled off Jackson’s Point.
Final Disposition
The Enterprise did not suffer a catastrophic wreck by storm or collision. Rather, it succumbed due to mechanical failure and flooding. Her hull, after salvage of mechanical parts and equipment, was intentionally scuttled off Jackson’s Point, where submerged remains persist.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Access: shore / small boat from Jackson’s Point
Entry Point: Jackson’s Point harbour area or Malone Road wharf
Conditions: variable visibility, possible silt, shallow to moderate depths
Depth Range: unknown
Emergency Contacts: Canadian Coast Guard, Georgina township marine services
Permits: likely municipal / provincial approval required
Dive Support: local dive clubs in Simcoe / Georgina region
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”enterprisecouchiching-mariposa-belle” title=”References & Links”]
No casualties are recorded in the sinking or scuttling — all aboard reportedly evacuated safely. I did not locate crew lists, passenger manifests, or dedicated memorials in the sources examined. Newspaper archives (Barrie, Simcoe) may yet yield names and accounts.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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