Kamloops – Package Freighter 1924-1927 (SHIPWRECK)
Kamloops – Package Freighter 1924-1927 (SHIPWRECK)
isle royal
Captain William Brian, wet and frozen from the brutal storm, gripped the wooden wheel, his knuckles sharp and white against the battered red of his hands. Near gale force winds smashed wave after wave across the decks of his ship, the Kamloops. The 250-foot, 2,226-ton, iron cargo ship was in a battle for her life, and all aboard knew that only his skill, and the grace of God, stood between them and the ravenous waters of Lake Superior…
Story by Curt Bowen – Advanced Diver magazine
The Kamloops was delivered to Montreal in September 1924 where it started its normal route hauling package freight from Montreal to Fort William and grain on the return trip. Its owners regularly pushed its operation well into December and the Kamloops ended her season trapped in ice in the St. Mary’s river twice in its short career. It was a December storm in 1927 that ended the Kamloops‘ career along with the lives of all of her crew. She was hauling a load of paper mill machinery, pipe, shoes, and tar paper with a deck load of fencing materials. The Kamloops was up bound for Fort William as it passed through the Soo on December 4. It was accompanied by the steamer Quedoc and was following one-quarter of a mile astern.
Both were making slow headway in a heavy north gale in fog and sub-freezing temperatures. On the night of December 6, the captain of the Quedoc suddenly saw a dark mass loom up before them and turned to avoid it while sounding a danger signal to the Kamloops. Due to the poor visibility, it was never known if the Kamloopsheard the signal and made the turn. The Quedoc made it to Fort William, but theKamloops would never arrive.
The fierce storm continued, stranding ships in different parts of the lake and rumors of the Kamloops being spotted at each of these locations kept hope alive that she would be found. By December 12 all ships had been accounted for except theKamloops, and the search started in earnest. Search efforts continued sporadically until December 26 when fading hopes were finally lost to winter weather.
In the spring the fishermen of Isle Royale discovered the remains of some of the crew and parts of the ship near Kamloops point. The Kamloops has been described as one of the Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes — lost with all hands and few or no traces. It was discovered 50 years later in 1977, in almost perfect condition, but what caused it to sink is still a mystery.
About The Ship:
The Kamloops was built in 1924 at Middlesbro, England by the Furness Shipbuilding Company for the Canada Steamship Lines. Small for the era, the Kamloops was a scant 250 feet in length, 43 feet in beam with a 14 foot draft. The Kamloops was built to the maximum dimensions of a ship intended to pass through the Welland Canal in 1926. This type of ship was called a canaller and the Kamloops was intended to carry package freight between Montreal to Fort William. Kamloops was powered by a triple expansion steam engine with cylinder diameters of 18, 30, and 50 inches, supplied by two Scotch boilers at a working pressure of 185 psi. This propelled the single screw Kamloops at a nominal speed of 9.5 knots. The unique construction feature that sets the Kamloops apart from the bulk carriers sunk at Isle Royale are the four tall Sampson or king posts. Each Sampson post was rigged with a 5-ton derrick used to load and unload the package freight. Near the derricks are the steam cargo winches used to operate the derricks.
More Information
Isle Royal Shipwreck Dive Info & Map
Content the property of Superior Trips LLC. Photography and ship details the Bowling Green State University.