Identification & Site Information

• Name: Ocean
• Built: 1872 (likely at St. Catharines, Ontario or similar Great Lakes shipyard)
• Type: Wooden-hulled passenger or cargo Steamer
• Loss incidents:
  1. Burned at Muir’s drydock — Total Loss, but Hull survived and was Rebuilt into a Barge
  2. Sank later in a 1894 collision with the Steamer Kent on Lake Ontario
• Casualties: None recorded in either incident (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia)

History & Notable Events

• The original Ocean caught fire at Muir’s drydock, suffering a complete superstructure loss down to the waterline. Declared a Total Loss, her Hull remained afloat and was repurposed as a Barge (likely for less demanding service) .
• Rebuilt and redeployed on Lake Ontario, Ocean was later involved in a collision with the Steamer Kent in 1894, leading to her sinking (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Final Disposition

After colliding with Kent in 1894, Ocean (then operating as a Barge) Foundered and sank—her Hull lost on Lake Ontario. No modern surveys have definitively located the wreck site.

Located By & Survey Status

No known archaeological surveys have recorded a wreck positively identified as the Ocean. Given her multiple rebuilds and role changes, any remains may be fragmented or buried in sediment.

Notmar & Navigational Advisories

No official Notices to Mariners cite the wreck. Its sinking in 1894 likely occurred in navigable waters, but remains officially unflagged as a hazard.

Commentary on Conflicting Dates

While the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files indicate Ocean burned and was a Total Loss at Muir’s drydock, the vessel’s sinking occurred later after Conversion and a collision. Some discrepancies exist in date references, but the fire preceded the final maritime loss (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Conclusion

The Ocean experienced a dramatic two-phase demise: first as a burned-out Hull at Muir’s drydock, then later sinking after collision on Lake Ontario. Though no casualties are recorded, the vessel’s multiple transformations and name changes (including a Barge Conversion) have obscured her identity. Today she remains a historical note rather than a documented wreck site.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

• Keywords: Ocean Steamer fire, Muir drydock wreck, Ocean–Kent collision, Lake Ontario Barge sinking
• Categories: Dockyard fires, repurposed barges, multi-phase wrecks
• Glossary:
  • Rebuilt into a Barge: Hollowed-out Hull repurposed without propulsion or superstructure
  • Steamer collision: Maritime incident involving a steam-powered vessel striking another craft