SS Regina (1907)
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Regina |
| Owner: | Canada Steamship Lines Inc. |
| Port of registry: |
 Montreal
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| Builder: | A. McMillian & Son, Dumbarton, Scotland |
| Yard number: | 419 |
| Launched: | September 4, 1907 |
| Completed: | October 1907 |
| Maiden voyage: | January 19, 1907 |
| Fate: | Capsized and sank between November 9 and November 10, 1913 during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. |
| Status: | Located in the Sanilac Shores Underwater Preserve |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Package Freighter or Canaler |
| Tonnage: | 1,956 GRT |
| Length: | 249 ft 3 in (75.97 m) (lpp) |
| Beam: | 42 ft 6 in (12.95 m) |
| Depth: | 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m) |
| Installed power: | Two Scottish Boiler Steam turbines |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 8 knots (15 km/h) |
| Crew: | 32 |
The SS Regina was a steel canaler built for the Merchant Mutual Line and home ported in Montreal, Quebec. Named after Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina had a tonnage of 1,956 gross register tons (GRT) and a crew of 32.
The ship sank during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 after taking great damage. Lost for more than a half century, she became known as the "Great Mystery of the Great Storm of the Great Lakes". Since found, she has become an active dive site for scuba divers and is now part of Michigan's underwater Preserve system.
In 1907, Regina was built in Dumbarton, Scotland by A. McMillian & Son. The order was placed by C.H.F. Plummer of Montreal, Quebec. In 1911 ownership was transferred to the Canadian Lake Transportation Company and in 1912 it was transferred to the Canadian Steamship Lines Incorporated.
The early years of Regina contain little recorded information. There was little interest for the ship until 1913, when she was caught in the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.
On November 9, 1913 Regina was heading north from. During the night one of the worst storms in Great Lakes history arose. Waves ranged up to 38 feet. At the time, Regina was top-heavy with a load of sewer pipes.
The ship anchored approximately 7 miles (11 km) east of Lexington, Michigan. All power was shut down.
After anchoring, Regina capsized and sank, taking the captain to the bottom of Lake Huron. Near Port Franks, Ontario, two bodies were found with a capsized lifeboat from Regina and another 10 bodies were found on the beach a short distance away. There were no survivors from Regina.
Sailors initially theorized that Regina collided with Charles S. Price, another ship sunk in the storm, as some of the bodies of Charles S. Price's crewmen were wearing lifebelts from Regina. However, this theory was dismissed after Charles S. Price was found on the bottom of Lake Huron; a diver confirmed that the ship was Charles S. Price and that the ship showed no signs of being in a collision.
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Wikipedia