Vanlene (1972)

The 8,354-ton steel motor vessel Vanlene was built as the freighter Africa Maru in Kobe Japan in 1950. The ship, with 300 Dodge Colts in her hold, had no working radar or depth sounder when it ran aground off Austin Island in Barkley Sound on March 14, 1972. It remained stranded on the reef for several years until winter storms broke it up and it settled beneath the waves.

The Vanlene lies broken in two sections on the reef off Austin Island in depths ranging from 9 to 40 meters. The storm flattened hull plates and fittings of the bow section lie in the shallower water with the more intact stern with 2 cranes resting in 21 – 40 meters.

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.