Oriental C 72581

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Oriental
• Type: Wooden-hulled, two-masted schooner-barge
• Year Built: 1866
• Builder: Roney, Garden Island, Ontario
• Dimensions: ~137 ft × 25 ft × 13 ft; 354 GRT / 328 NRT
• Registered Tonnage: 354 GRT / 328 NRT
• Location: 2 miles off Port Dalhousie, Lake Ontario (near the mouth of Welland Canal)
• Official Number: C72581
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A sizable schooner-barge used for transporting coal across Lake Ontario, she lacked independent propulsion and was always towed by steamers. Registered out of Kingston and captained by Capt. George Stewart at her end (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Description

The Oriental was a wooden-hulled, two-masted schooner-barge designed primarily for the transportation of coal. Due to her design, she was dependent on steamers for propulsion and was towed during her voyages.

History

• 1866: Enrolled in Roney, Garden Island, Ontario; entered freight service on the Niagara corridor.
• 1887 (Oct 23): While moving coal from Charlotte, NY to Toronto in tow of Scotia and headed toward Port Dalhousie, Oriental parted towline amid a fierce gale. Breaking free, she was overwhelmed by waves and sank. The crew of seven perished.

Significant Incidents

• October 23, 1887: The Oriental sank after her towline snapped during a gale, leading to the loss of all seven crew members aboard.

Final Disposition

Once adrift, Oriental quickly foundered in deep water and sank. Salvage operations later recovered her anchor, chains, and gear in September 1888 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files). No hull recovery efforts were documented.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no known dive surveys or archaeological investigations confirming the wreck’s location. Given the depth and the gale conditions at the time, her hull likely lies far below the surface and remains undiscovered.

Resources & Links

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The Oriental met her fate under harsh autumn weather on October 23, 1887—her towline gave way amid a gale near Port Dalhousie, sending her into the depths with her entire crew of seven. The loss underscores the hazards of tow operations on Lake Ontario and the lethal consequences of sudden storms. While her precise resting place remains unknown, her story endures as a solemn chapter in Great Lakes maritime history.