SS Kamloops facts for kids
 Diagram of Kamloops wreckage
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Canada |
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| Name | Kamloops |
| Operator |
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| Builder |
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| Yard number | 68 |
| Completed | 1924 |
| Fate | Foundered off Isle Royale in western Lake Superior 7 December 1927 |
| Notes | Canada Registry #147682 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Package freighter – canaller |
| Tonnage |
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| Length | 250 ft (76 m) |
| Beam | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Height | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Propulsion | triple expansion steam |
| Crew | 22 |
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KAMLOOPS
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kamloops Point, Isle Royale National Park, Michigan |
| Area | 45.9 acres (18.6 ha) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Furness Shipbuilding Company, Ltd. |
| Architectural style | Freighter |
| MPS | Shipwrecks of Isle Royale National Park TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001769 |
| Added to NRHP | 14 June 1984 |
The SS Kamloops was a cargo ship that sailed on the Great Lakes. It was built in 1924 and was part of the Canada Steamship Lines fleet. Sadly, the Kamloops sank with everyone on board near Isle Royale in Lake Superior around December 7, 1927.
Contents
What Was a "Canaller" Ship?
The steamship Kamloops was built in England by the Furness Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. It was made for Steamships Ltd of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Built for Canals
The Kamloops was only 250 feet (75 meters) long. This made it a smaller ship for the Great Lakes in the 1920s. It was specially built to fit through the locks of the Welland Canal. It also fit other Canadian canals in the lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. This was before the much larger St. Lawrence Seaway was built.
The ship had two tall masts and a powerful 1000-horsepower steam engine. This engine used special Scotch boilers to create steam.
Carrying Goods Across Canada
The Kamloops finished its sea tests on July 5, 1924. It then sailed to Copenhagen, Denmark to pick up cargo. After that, it went to Montreal and Houghton, Michigan. As a "canaller," the Kamloops carried many different kinds of "package" freight. This meant it moved manufactured goods from one Canadian port to another.
Its main job was to carry factory-made items from Montreal up the lakes to Thunder Bay. In the 1920s, Canada was part of the British Empire. Growing areas like the Prairie Provinces bought many goods from England. Ships like the Kamloops were a key part of this important trade route.
Sailing in Winter
Ships on the Great Lakes try to move as much cargo as possible before winter. Ice makes it impossible for boats to travel. The Kamloops' owners kept the ship running as late in the season as they could. In 1924, it was one of the last ships to go through the Sault Ste. Marie Canal. In 1926, it got stuck in the ice in the St. Mary's River. The Kamloops was registered in Britain until 1926. Then, new owners, Canada Steamship Lines, bought it and registered it in Canada.
The Final Voyage in December 1927
The Kamloops began its last trip in late November 1927. It carried a mix of goods, including papermaking machinery, rolls of wire for fences, shoes, food, pipes, and tar paper.
A Stop for Salt
On December 1, the ship stopped at Courtright, Ontario. Here, it added more bagged salt to its cargo. Then, it sailed up Lake Huron. On December 4, it passed through the Sault Ste. Marie Canal. After that, it faced the big challenge of Lake Superior.
Caught in a Storm
A huge storm hit Lake Superior on December 5. This was very bad news for the Kamloops and other ships there. The Kamloops became heavily covered in ice. It was last seen sailing towards the southeast shore of Isle Royale. This was at sunset on December 6.
A search for the ship started on December 12. It focused on the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale. The search continued until December 22. But the ship and the 22 people on board were never seen again alive.
Finding Clues
When the sailing season opened in April 1928, more searching was done. In May, fishermen found the remains of some crew members at Twelve O'Clock Point on Isle Royale. Parts of the ship were also found on the shore. In June, more remains were discovered. A bigger search for the wreck and crew was done, but nothing else was found.
Out of the nine people found from the Kamloops, five were identified. Their remains were sent to their families. Four people could not be identified. They were buried at Thunder Bay. A memorial stone was placed at their gravesite in 2011.
A Message in a Bottle
In December 1928, a trapper found a bottled note. He was working at the mouth of the Agawa River, Ontario. The note was from Alice Bettridge, a young assistant stewardess. She was in her early twenties. She had survived the sinking for a while. Before she passed away, she wrote: "I am the last one left alive, freezing and starving to death on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. I just want mom and dad to know my fate."
The Kamloops Wreck Today
For fifty years, the Kamloops was a "Ghost Ship of the Great Lakes." It had vanished without a trace. But on August 21, 1977, its wreck was found. A group of divers found it northwest of Isle Royale. This area is now called Kamloops Point.
Exploring the Wreck
The wreck sits on the lake bottom more than 260 feet (79 m) deep. The ship is lying on its right side at the bottom of an underwater cliff. The smokestack has broken off and is nearby. Cargo is spread out on the lake floor near the ship. The cargo holds still contain wire fencing, high-top shoes, candy life-savers, and crates of Honey Bee molasses.
Some human remains are still on the ship. In 2009, about 50 dives were made to the Kamloops. This was out of 1062 dives made to wrecks in the Isle Royale National Park. As of 2007, the exact reason for its sinking was still a mystery.
The Kamloops is an important part of the novel A Superior Death by Nevada Barr. In the story, the body of a modern diver is found with the historical remains in the ship's engine room.
