Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Saronic
- Type: Wooden-hulled screw steamer, later tow barge
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: E. Parry & John Dyble, Sarnia, Ontario
- Dimensions: 252.8 ft (77.1 m) x 36 ft (11.0 m) x 15 ft (4.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 1,960.65 gross / 1,296.42 net
- Location: Detroit River near Amherstburg, Ontario
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: 80776
- Original Owners: North West Transportation Co.; Northern Navigation Co.; Canada Steamship Lines; later James R. Andrews Transportation Co.
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden-hulled screw steamer, later converted to a tow barge.
Description
The Saronic was originally built in 1882 as a wooden-hulled screw passenger steamer, fitted with a compound engine (34+60 x 42 in., 1,200 hp at 75 rpm) built by Oille Brothers of St. Catharines, Ontario, and two Scotch boilers (12 x 12 ft, 100 psi). She was designed for package freight and passenger service with accommodations for 300 passengers and up to 10,000 barrels of cargo. Structural features included two watertight bulkheads, steel arches, a steam windlass, and a reinforced bow.
History
Launched with difficulty at Sarnia, Ontario on 1 November 1882, the vessel entered service in 1883 with the North West Transportation Co., running routes between Sarnia and Duluth alongside Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario. She carried immigrants and general cargo across the upper lakes, and in 1883 had steel arches installed for hull strength. Over her long career, she suffered multiple mishaps: groundings, collisions, fires, and rebuildings.
In 1904–05 she was rebuilt at Collingwood, Ontario, renamed Saronic, and continued in passenger and package freight trade under Northern Navigation and later Canada Steamship Lines. She operated on both Great Lakes and St. Lawrence routes until 1915 when she was damaged by fire at Sarnia. In 1916 she was converted to a steambarge, and later stranded and burned near Cockburn Island in August 1916. Her hulk was rebuilt at Milwaukee and renamed W. L. Kennedy, entering pulpwood tow service for the James R. Andrews Transportation Co. of Escanaba, Michigan.
Her final years were marked by declining utility. After a minor fire on the St. Clair River in 1921 and service in pulpwood trade, she was abandoned in the Detroit River near Amherstburg in 1924.
Significant Incidents
- Multiple mishaps including groundings, collisions, and fires throughout her service life.
- Damaged by fire in 1915 at Sarnia.
- Stranded and burned near Cockburn Island in August 1916.
- Abandoned in the Detroit River in 1924.
Final Disposition
Contrary to some secondary accounts citing a 1926 fire and grounding, registry evidence confirms the vessel (ex-Saronic, then W. L. Kennedy) was abandoned in the Detroit River in 1924. She had no further commercial value and was left derelict. Her remains have not been positively identified or documented as a dive site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No located wreck site has been confirmed. The vessel’s abandonment was documented in Detroit River records in 1924.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”saronic-1882″ title=”References & Links”]
While the Saronic has a storied history, its final resting place remains elusive, with no confirmed archaeological survey or diver documentation existing. The vessel’s legacy lives on through historical records and images.
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.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The Saronic was originally built in 1882 as a wooden-hulled screw passenger steamer, fitted with a compound engine (34+60 x 42 in., 1,200 hp at 75 rpm) built by Oille Brothers of St. Catharines, Ontario, and two Scotch boilers (12 x 12 ft, 100 psi). She was designed for package freight and passenger service with accommodations for 300 passengers and up to 10,000 barrels of cargo. Structural features included two watertight bulkheads, steel arches, a steam windlass, and a reinforced bow.History
Launched with difficulty at Sarnia, Ontario on 1 November 1882, the vessel entered service in 1883 with the North West Transportation Co., running routes between Sarnia and Duluth alongside Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario. She carried immigrants and general cargo across the upper lakes, and in 1883 had steel arches installed for hull strength. Over her long career, she suffered multiple mishaps: groundings, collisions, fires, and rebuildings. In 1904–05 she was rebuilt at Collingwood, Ontario, renamed Saronic, and continued in passenger and package freight trade under Northern Navigation and later Canada Steamship Lines. She operated on both Great Lakes and St. Lawrence routes until 1915 when she was damaged by fire at Sarnia. In 1916 she was converted to a steambarge, and later stranded and burned near Cockburn Island in August 1916. Her hulk was rebuilt at Milwaukee and renamed W. L. Kennedy, entering pulpwood tow service for the James R. Andrews Transportation Co. of Escanaba, Michigan. Her final years were marked by declining utility. After a minor fire on the St. Clair River in 1921 and service in pulpwood trade, she was abandoned in the Detroit River near Amherstburg in 1924.Final Dispositions
Contrary to some secondary accounts citing a 1926 fire and grounding, registry evidence confirms the vessel (ex-Saronic, then W. L. Kennedy) was abandoned in the Detroit River in 1924. She had no further commercial value and was left derelict. Her remains have not been positively identified or documented as a dive site.Located By & Date Found
No located wreck site has been confirmed. The vessel’s abandonment was documented in Detroit River records in 1924.Notmars & Advisories
None issued; site not charted.Dive Information
Access: Not applicable (wreck unlocated) Entry Point: Not applicable Conditions: Not applicable Depth Range: Not applicable Emergency Contacts: Canadian Coast Guard / U.S. Coast Guard Detroit Permits: Not applicable Dive Support: Not availableCrew & Casualty Memorials
No loss of life recorded in the vessel’s abandonment. Crew names from earlier passenger service remain in scattered shipping registers. No known memorials exist.Documented Statements & Extracts
“Abandoned Detroit River, near Amherstburg, Ontario, 1924.” — BGSU HCGL Great Lakes Vessels Database
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official Number: 80776 (Canada). Registered at Sarnia, Ontario (1883). Enrolled at Marquette, Michigan, in 1917 as W. L. Kennedy. Ownership included North West Transportation Co., Northern Navigation Co., Canada Steamship Lines, and James R. Andrews Transportation Co. Insurance records indicate multiple fire and grounding claims during her service life. Registry struck following abandonment in 1924.Site Documentation & Imaging
No confirmed archaeological survey or diver documentation exists. Surviving records include postcards, promotional photographs, and references in ship registers and insurance reports.Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – United Empire / Saronic / W.L. Kennedy
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Saronic
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Find A Grave
References
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (HCGL/BGSU), entry for United Empire (Saronic, W.L. Kennedy)
- David Swayze, Great Lakes Shipwreck File (Saronic)
- Shotline Diving, postcard archives
- Canadian Vessel Registry, Library and Archives Canada
- U.S. Enrollment Records, Marquette, MI (1917–1924)