IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

  • Wreck Name: Unidentified Barge – “Wreck 3”
  • Other Names: “Large Barge – Northeast Martindale”
  • Vessel Type: Flat-Deck Barge
  • Site Context: Located near eastern canal alignment; highly visible during the 1965 pond drainage event
  • Access: Currently submerged; shallow enough for visual documentation, snorkel, drone, or small ROV surveys

Historical note: The vessel’s full outline appeared clearly in archival images from 1965, indicating it has remained largely undisturbed for decades.

CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP

  • Build Type: Likely timber-framed Barge construction, with possible steel reinforcements
  • Length: Approx. 45 m (148 ft)
  • Beam & Draft: Unknown
  • Builder: Unknown
  • Owner: Unrecorded, possibly tied to Welland Canal service, material hauling, or derelict scuttling

PROPULSION

  • Power: Presumed unpowered
  • Engine: None present
  • Tow Configuration: Most likely operated via push/tow in canal system

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

This large Barge may have functioned as a bulk material transporter or floating platform during the active years of the Third Welland Canal. It is believed to have been out of service by the early 1950s and subsequently left in place as operations ceased and the Fourth Canal came into use.

The 1965 drainage of Martindale Pond confirmed the wreck’s dimensions and helped bring local attention to the relic. Its strategic positioning within the former canal work zone supports speculation that it was purposefully scuttled or left to sink once decommissioned.

FINAL DISPOSITION

  • Date of Abandonment: Circa early 1950s
  • How: Presumed deliberate abandonment or partial sinking in place
  • Condition: Well-preserved Hull outline; some structure likely buried in pond sediment
  • Diving Status: Suitable for shallow documentation dives or heritage surveying

REFERENCES & LINKS

Dive In, Speak Up: If you have family photos, stories, or any historical details about this or nearby wrecks in Martindale Pond, send them to Shotline Diving to help preserve and identify the canal’s hidden history.