CSL Regina

The CSL "Regina" was a steel canaler built for the Canada Steamship Lines and home ported in Montreal, Quebec. Named after Regina, Saskatchewan, the "Regina" had a tonnage of 1956 gross tons 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, it became known as the "Great Mystery of the Great Storm of the Great Lakes". Since found, it has become an active dive site for scuba divers and is now part of Michigan's underwater park system.

History

In 1907, the "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. [ [http://ul.bgsu.edu/cgi-bin/xvsl2.cgi Historical Collections of the Great Lakes Great Lakes Vessels Online Index University Libraries / Bowling Green State University "Regina"] ]

The early years of the "Regina" are clouded and contains little recorded information. There was little interest for the ship until 1913, when it was caught in the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.fact|date=August 2008

inking

On November 9, 1913 the "Regina" was heading north of Sombra, Ontario. During the night one of the worst storms in Great Lakes history arose. The "Regina" made it to Point Aux Barqes, Michigan when the winds reached approximately 90 mph and waves ranged up to 50 feet. Due to the stress, the ship made an 8-minute turn. Since the "Regina" was top-heavy with a load of sewer pipes, the turn became much more treacherous.cn|date=August 2008

The "Regina" began heading south towards Port Huron, Michigan. Around Harbor Beach, Michigan the "Regina" hit a shoal. As the vessel was taking on water, the crew decided to anchor approximately 7 miles east of Lexington, Michigan. All power was shut down and the ship was evacuated with the exception of the captain.cn|date=August 2008

After the evacuation a distress whistle was sounded which was heard from Lexington, Michigan. Within 35 minutes of anchoring the "Regina" capsized and sank, taking the captain to the bottom of Lake Huron.cn|date=August 2008 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. ["Storm Toll Heavy in Life and Ships". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Wednesday, November 12, 1913. Page 1] Apparently, there were no survivors from "Regina".

Sailors initially theorized that the "Regina" collided with the "Charles S. Price", another ship sunk in the storm, as some of the bodies of the "Charles S. Price"'s crewmen were wearing lifebelts from the "Regina".Hancock, Pg. 81] However, this theory was dismissed after the "Charles S. Price" was found on the bottom of Lake Huron; a diver confirmed that that the ship was the "Price" and that the ship showed no signs of being in a collision.

Aftermath

Twelve ships foundered in the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 and there was confusion in determining where the shipwrecks were located. The day following the storm, November 10, 1913 a vessel was discovered floating upside-down on Lake Huron within sight of the Huronia Beach and the St. Clair River. Originally, people assumed this vessel was the "Regina" which had been lost the previous day. It was not until early Saturday morning, November 15, that the ship was identified as the "Charles S. Price". The front page of that day's Port Huron Times-Herald extra edition read, "BOAT IS PRICE — DIVER IS BAKER — SECRET KNOWN." [Front page, "Port Huron Times-Herald" EXTRA edition, Port Huron, Michigan, 15 November 1913]

Discovery & Salvage

The wreck of the "Regina" was discovered in 1986 in Lake Huron between Lexington and Port Sanilac, Michigan. [ [http://www.dalnet.lib.mi.us/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?e=q-000-00---0shipping--00-0-0-0prompt-10---4---Document-dky--0-1l--1-en-50---20-about-regina--001-011-1-0utfZz-8-0&a=d&c=shipping&cl=search&d=HASH0139fda77b1b3fd2b8ddf2a6 University of Detroit Mercy Fr. Edward J. Dowling, S.J. Marine Historical Collection] ] The wreck is largely intact but is upside down and in about 77-80 feet of water. It was discovered by commercial diver Wayne Brusate while testing a new sonar device. During a 1987 archaeological salvage expedition led by underwater archaeologist and shipwreck expert E. Lee Spence, tens of thousands of artifacts, including hundreds of intact bottles of still potable Scotch and Champagne were recovered. [Briggs-Bunting, Jane, and Ned Geeslin, "Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Mumm!" "People", November 16, 1987, pp. 143-145]

Sources

*cite book |last=Hancock |first=Paul |title=Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes |origyear=2001 |publisher=Thunder Bay Press |location=Hong Kong |isbn=1-57145-291-5 |pages=133-134

References