Del Norte (1868)

Del Norte was a steam powered paddle side-wheeler launched on September 8, 1864. Upon entering Porlier Pass in dense fog Captain Windsor ordered the ship to reverse. In the process of backing out of Porlier Pass, the stern of the ship struck Canoe Inlets, suffered damage including loss of its rudder, and began taking on water. Despite efforts to keep the ship afloat a storm swept it off the rock and into 10 meters of water on November 10, 1868.

The wreck lies on a sloping sandy bottom at a depth between 12 and 17 meters. Most of the hull and wooden structures are gone. What remains include heavily damaged twin boilers, an engine supporting steel frame and a crank-shaft with remnants of paddle wheels. Locations of these main components reflect their original positions on the ship. Its unique oscillating steam engine was one of the first such engines designed and manufactured in North America. The engine was popular in marine applications due to its simplicity.

The vessel’s wreckage is a ‘time capsule’, representing technological advances and thriving maritime commerce of the day. The wreckage, in its eerie surrounding, stands a quiet witness to the entrepreneurship of people of the West Coast in general, and the technological advances of the day in particular.

Note: British Columbia’s Heritage Conservation Act automatically protects all heritage wrecks, including the remains of all wrecked vessels and aircraft once two or more years have passed since the date of loss. It is illegal to damage, alter or remove a heritage object from a heritage wreck except under a permit issued by the Archaeology Branch.