KEY STATS:
Composite Barge
Built 1871 Sunk 1897
Length 131ft (77m)
Depths to 90 ft (9m)
Location: St. Lawrence River, Rockport, Ontario, Canada
GPS (for the boat guys) N 44.22.604 W 75.55.849
It was named after the manager of the Montreal Transportation Company, located in Kingston, Ontario, since it was his idea to have this barge made with an iron frame and wooden planking (the first on the river). It was launched in 1871 at Montreal, after being put together by J.B. Auger & Co. from parts made in Scotland. The Kinghorn had a capacity of about 20,000 bushels of grain. She sank in April 1897. This wreck has been confused with the fishing tug Edith Sewell, and the "Rockport wreck." .
On April 27, 1897, the tug Hiram A. Walker, under Captain Boyd, had seven barges under tow in the American channel near Thousand Island Park. She was caught in a storm, losing a barge on the south shore and two at Johnston's light, opposite the park. With four barges left, the Walker headed for Grenadier Island, where the Captain of the Kinghorn reported his craft leaking badly. The Walker headed for Rockport with the injured barge, but lost her 500m from Rockport, in 90 ft. (28m) of water. The Kinghorn was discovered by Ronald MacDonald in 1996.
Northern Tech Diver does not charter to the Kinghorn, contact Jeff at the Rockport Dive Center for charters.
Kingstonunderwater is the personal property of Tom Rutledge and all pictures are by Tom Rutledge, occasionally Photos from Dan Mackay, James Pate, Anne Campbell, Barry Mutch, Kevin Ripley and Sean Felts may get posted as they would more then likely use my camera on a dive with me or have access to their own equipment in most of those cases I would be the subject as well.
Kingston Underwater supports the Great Lakes Underwater Explorer Club (GLUE) out of Northern Tech Diver - Divers that practice and preach wreck conservation like Save Ontario Shipwrecks.
