Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Ongiara (originally Queen City)
- Type: Wooden propeller steamboat (ferry/towboat)
- Year Built: 1885
- Builder: Melancthon Simpson, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dimensions: 90.50 ft × 18.40 ft (27.58 m × 5.61 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 97.77 GRT / 64.34 NRT
- Location: Off Bowmanville, Ontario
- Coordinates: Not recorded
- Official Number: C90562
- Original Owners: Niagara Transportation Company (post-1888); later T. E. Smith and P. McSherry, Toronto
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden (oak) propeller steamboat designed primarily for ferry and towing operations.
Description
Built as Queen City in 1885, she was a compact, sturdy wooden steamer—oak-constructed, carvel-built, steam-screw propelled—designed primarily for short river crossings. After renaming to Ongiara in 1888, she shuttled passengers across the Niagara River. In 1912, she was repurposed as a towboat operating out of Toronto.
History
Launched in 1885 and initially operated as a ferry named Queen City, she was sold in 1888 and renamed Ongiara. She served between Queenston (ON) and Lewiston (NY) until 1912, after which she began towing duties out of Toronto. Her service concluded in October 1918 with her wreck off Bowmanville.
Significant Incidents
- Wrecked off Bowmanville, Ontario on October 17, 1918, and declared a total loss.
- Registry officially closed on March 5, 1919.
- No specifics regarding the cause of loss or crew details are recorded in surviving archival summaries.
Final Disposition
On 17 October 1918, Ongiara was wrecked off Bowmanville, Ontario, and declared a total loss. The registry was officially closed on 5 March 1919. No specifics—such as cause (storm, grounding, etc.) or crew details—are recorded in surviving archival summaries.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No documented discovery or survey of remains exists. Her final resting place remains unverified through modern archaeological means.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”ongiara-queen-city-c-90562″ title=”References & Links”]
Access to the wreck site is unknown but likely shallow, requiring a boat launch offshore from Bowmanville. Visibility, currents, and thermocline data are currently unknown. Emergency contacts include the Canadian Coast Guard and local Ontario Provincial Police marine unit. Permits may be required under Ontario heritage or navigable waters legislation.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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