Shotline Diving

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Glenfinlas US/C 77695 (Calabria)

Explore the wreck of the Glenfinlas, a wooden propeller steamer that caught fire in 1883, leaving behind a poignant maritime story.

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

[shotline_reference_links slug=”glenfinlas-us-c-77695-calabria” title=”References & Links”]

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.

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.

Built 1873 – Destroyed August 17, 1883)

Identification & Vessel Information

  • Original Name: Calabria; later renamed Glenfinlas in 1881
  • Official Number: US C77695
  • Built: 1873, A. Muir, Port Dalhousie, Ontario
  • Type: Wooden-hulled propeller steamer
  • Dimensions: 158 × 26 × 11 ft; 686 gross tons, 425 net tons (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Operational Context

Operated as a standard propeller steamer carrying bulk grain (notably corn) and general merchandise on Lake Ontario routes, particularly between Detroit and Montreal ports (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Fire & Loss Details

  • Date of Incident: August 17, 1883
  • Location: Welland Canal near St. Catharines, Ontario
  • Disaster Narrative: Bound from Detroit to Montreal with approximately 20,000 bushels of corn and general cargo, she caught fire near the boiler around the stack, which rapidly consumed the vessel (Links to the Past, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Crew Outcome: All crew survived; no fatalities reported (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Discovery: An unidentified human skull was later found in the burned-out wreckage (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Final Disposition & Salvage

  • Declared a total loss; fire extinguishing by scuttling failed.
  • Hulk towed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where boiler and engine were salvaged in 1894 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Historical & Technical Significance

  • Boiler-area ignition risk: Fire near the smokestack demonstrates known hazards in steam engineering of the era.
  • Cargo at risk: Loading large quantities of corn and other combustibles around boiler machinery heightened fire danger.
  • Forensic interest: The skull found among wreckage highlights complex human narratives in maritime disasters—even when lives were officially saved.

References

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “Glenfinlas” entry: Covers build details, fire incident, cargo, crew survival, and skull found (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Shipwreck Files summary (“C” category): Notes fire, towing to Sturgeon Bay, and boiler/engine salvage (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Research Gaps & Recommendations

  • Crew logs & survivor statements: Locate St. Catharines newspapers (Aug 1883) or crew depositions for personal accounts.
  • Canal authority fire report: Canal Company archives may have detailed investigations from August 1883.
  • Human remains context: Investigate coroners’ files or burial records in St. Catharines for the skull found aboard.
  • Hulk fate: Trace Sturgeon Bay hulk records to determine disposal method and remaining artifacts.

Conclusion

The Glenfinlas was a wooden steamship that met its end on August 17, 1883, after a swift blaze around the boiler stack in the Welland Canal. Though all onboard initially survived, the vessel was destroyed. Its stripped hulk was taken to Sturgeon Bay in 1894, where remaining parts were salvaged. The discovery of a human skull adds a poignant footnote to her story. The fire serves as both historical and engineering lesson in the dangers of steam-era lake transport.

glenfinlas-us-c-77695-calabria 1883-08-17 14:39:00