Identification Card (Site Style)

Description

The Waubuno was a 135-foot side-wheel paddle Steamer designed for mixed passenger and freight service on Georgian Bay. Built in 1865, she embodied mid-19th century Canadian Steamship construction. Her propulsion system was notable: a salvaged cast-iron walking-beam steam engine originally built for the Mazeppa (ex-Farmer, 1848–1856), giving her an unusual technological lineage.

History

• 1865 – Completed as a freight and passenger paddle Steamer for Georgian Bay service.
• Service – Regularly operated between Collingwood, Parry Sound, and smaller Georgian Bay ports, carrying both settlers and goods.
• 21 November 1879 – Departed Collingwood for Parry Sound after several days of delay due to gales. Last observed by Christian Island lighthouse keeper, reportedly handling seas well.
• Failed to arrive; the Steamer Magnettawan reached Parry Sound without sighting her.

Final Voyage

The Waubuno left Collingwood on 21 November 1879 loaded with freight and passengers bound for Parry Sound. A fierce gale overtook Georgian Bay, and the vessel never reached port. No survivors were found. The Tug Millie Grew later located wreckage including lifeboat fragments, part of a paddle box, furniture, life preservers, and cargo debris. In spring 1880, an upturned Hull was reported on Moberly Island, but inspection revealed no conclusive identification.

No bodies were recovered, and the sinking became one of Georgian Bay’s most infamous tragedies.

Subsequent Discoveries

• Fragments including the rudder (now at the Huronia Museum, Midland) and the anchor (recovered 1959) have been attributed to the Waubuno.
• A shallow Hull near Wreck Island in 15 ft (4.5 m) of water is frequently identified with the Waubuno, though this remains disputed.
• 2023–2024: Researcher Douglas Hunter located and photographed the Waubuno’s walking beam — confirming it as the cast-iron beam originally from the Mazeppa. This discovery links the Waubuno’s machinery lineage back to the 1840s generation of Canadian steamers.

Final Disposition

The Waubuno was declared a Total Loss. All 24 aboard perished, and her wreckage was scattered across Georgian Bay. While artifacts have been preserved in museums, the main wreck site remains contested and partially undocumented.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Condition: Dispersed wreckage; partial Hull in 15 ft of water near Wreck Island (identity disputed). Machinery fragments documented.

Accessibility: Site is shallow and diveable, but limited remains. Museum artifacts in Midland provide tangible connections.

Significance

The loss of the Waubuno was one of the worst disasters on Georgian Bay in the 19th century. Its 24 lives lost underscored the risks of autumn navigation. The recent confirmation of her walking beam provides important technological context, showing how parts of earlier vessels were recycled into later ships — a common but under-documented practice on the Great Lakes.

Resources & Links

• Huronia Museum, Midland, ON
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
• Douglas Hunter research (2023–2024, personal site and social posts)

References

1. “Waubuno Disaster,” Toronto Globe, Nov. 1879.
2. Maritime History of the Great Lakes – Waubuno records.
3. Huronia Museum collections (rudder, anchor).
4. Douglas Hunter, field documentation of walking beam, 2023.

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card