Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Glenfinlas
- Type: Wooden-hulled propeller steamer
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: A. Muir, Port Dalhousie, Ontario
- Dimensions: 158 × 26 × 11 ft; 686 gross tons, 425 net tons
- Registered Tonnage: 686 gross tons, 425 net tons
- Location: Welland Canal near St. Catharines, Ontario
- Official Number: US C77695
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Glenfinlas was a wooden-hulled propeller steamer, originally named Calabria, built in 1873. It was primarily used for transporting bulk grain and general merchandise on Lake Ontario routes.
Description
Originally named Calabria, the vessel was renamed Glenfinlas in 1881. It measured 158 feet in length, 26 feet in beam, and had a depth of 11 feet. The ship had a registered tonnage of 686 gross tons and 425 net tons.
History
The Glenfinlas operated as a standard propeller steamer, carrying bulk grain, notably corn, and general merchandise between Detroit and Montreal ports. It was built by A. Muir in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, in 1873.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Incident: August 17, 1883
- Location: Welland Canal near St. Catharines, Ontario
- Disaster Narrative: The vessel caught fire near the boiler around the stack while bound from Detroit to Montreal with approximately 20,000 bushels of corn and general cargo. The fire rapidly consumed the vessel.
- Crew Outcome: All crew survived; no fatalities reported.
- Discovery: An unidentified human skull was later found in the burned-out wreckage.
Final Disposition
The Glenfinlas was declared a total loss. Efforts to extinguish the fire by scuttling the vessel failed. The hulk was towed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where the boiler and engine were salvaged in 1894.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Glenfinlas is no longer intact, having been destroyed by fire. The remains were salvaged, and the discovery of a human skull among the wreckage adds a complex narrative to the maritime disaster.
Resources & Links
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The Glenfinlas serves as a historical and engineering lesson regarding the dangers of steam-era lake transport. Its swift demise on August 17, 1883, highlights the risks associated with carrying large quantities of combustible cargo near boiler machinery.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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