Thrush
Site photo model of Thrush. Photo:Ben Ioset/NOAA
Ship stats
Depth: 17 feet
Coordinates: To be announced
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner barge
Length: 181 feet
Breadth: 34 feet
Gross Tonnage: 584
Cargo: None
Built: 1890 by A. Cantin at Montreal, Quebec
Port of Registry: Montreal, Quebec
Owner at Loss: Montreal Transportation Company, Montreal, Quebec
Date Lost: May 9, 1916
Cause of Loss: Foundered in Storm
Loss of Life: None of 2
Historical Background
The schooner-barge Thrush (C97200) was built by A. Cantin at Montreal, Quebec, in 1890. The schooner-barge was 181 feet long, had a breadth of 34 feet, and a depth of hold of 12 feet, measuring 584 gross tons. It was constructed for the Kingston & Montreal Forwarding Company for the forwarding trade along the St. Lawrence River between Lake Ontario ports and Montreal.
In 1896, Kingston & Montreal Forwarding Company outfitted Thrush along with the barges Lapwing and Hiawatha for carrying grain between Thunder Bay on Lake Superior and the eastern terminals of the Canadian lake trade at Kingston, Prescott, and Cardinal, Ontario. In March 1906, Thrush was sold to the Montreal Transportation Company of Montreal, who owned and operated the vessel until its loss.
On May 9, 1916, Thrush was bound from Kingston to Fair Haven under tow, where it was to take on a load of coal. While entering the channel, Thrush went aground. While plans were made to remove the wreck as a menace to navigation, Thrush became a total loss and was abandoned.
Wreck Site
The schooner barge Thrush’s remains lie in approximately 17 feet of water off Fair Haven, New York. The wreckage consists of the bottom of the hull (bilge), with this section of the hull measuring approximately 168 feet long and 32 feet wide. The ship’s construction displays many innovations characteristic of wooden ship construction at the end of the 19th century, including iron knees, an iron keelson, and diagonal iron strapping to strengthen the hull.