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.

Wooden Propeller Steam Tug – Lake Huron (Byng Inlet, Ontario)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Vessel Name: Evelyn
• Official Number: C100301
• Type at Loss: Wooden propeller steam tug
• Built: 1893, Sandwich, Ontario (or Goderich, Ontario)
• Tonnage: 85 gross tons; 40 net tons
• Engine: Steam propulsion, typical of small Ontario‑built tugs of the era
• Final Location: 1 mile southwest of gas buoy, Byng Inlet, Lake Huron, Ontario
• Date of Loss: 3 June 1915
• Cargo: None listed
• Casualties: Unknown (not recorded in summary) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type Description

The Evelyn was a small wooden steam tug, built primarily for industrial towing or harbour work along the Georgian Bay / Byng Inlet corridor. Her modest tonnage reflects the regional scale of her operations.

Brief Description

There is no known archaeological or dive documentation of Evelyn‘s wreck; its position and remains have not been identified or surveyed. She likely sank in relatively shallow water near Byng Inlet, but no public site plan or sidescan data is available.

History & Operational Chronology

• Launched in 1893 from a Canadian shipyard—cited as Sandwich, Ontario or Goderich, Ontario in alternate records (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• Registered in Windsor, Ontario under official number C100301.
• No detailed operational history, ownership logs, or registry changes were found beyond her entry and loss.
• On 3 June 1915, she struck bottom in Byng Inlet, sprang a leak, and sank (“sunk” listed as the cause). No cargo was aboard, and loss-of-life is unspecified in the record (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Final Disposition

The vessel sank following hull breach after grounding. There is no indication of salvage operations or public reporting regarding her crew or aftermath. The lack of notation of casualties implies either no loss-of-life or unreported/missing detail.

Located By & Survey Status

• Not formally located by modern maritime archaeology projects.
• The wreck remains undocumented and unvisited; no surveys or dive operations have been publicly released.

Notices to Mariners & Advisories

• None recorded in historical hazard bulletins or navigation warnings concerning Evelyn.

Gaps & Recommended Next Steps

• Crew names, ownership information, and insurance claims remain unknown.
• Archival recommendations:
  • Search local newspapers ( circa June 1915, Georgian Bay/Byng Inlet region) for collision, sinking, or rescue reports.
  • Consult Canadian shipping registers (e.g. Canada List of Shipping, Mercantile Navy List) and Windsor registry entries for ownership and classification details.
  • Inquire with Ontario Great Lakes maritime museums or local historical societies near Byng Inlet for any unpublished notes or depositions.

Resources & References

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry for Evelyn: registry, build year, tonnage, official number, loss date, location, and incident summary (sank after striking bottom). (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Keywords & Glossary

Lake Huron, steam tug, wooden tug, grounding, leak, Byng Inlet, small vessel, Ontario registry, 1915 shipwreck

Summary

Evelyn (1893–1915), a wooden steam tug registered in Windsor, Ontario, sank on 3 June 1915 after grounding near Byng Inlet in Lake Huron. She sprang a leak and sank quickly with no recorded cargo or casualty details. While basic registry data exists, no further historical or archaeological documentation is readily available. Her physical remains are unlocated, and the wreck remains unexplored. Archival deep dive into local period reports and registry records may illuminate her operational history or fate.

evelyn-c-100301 1915-06-03 11:50:00