Wreckhunters find Canadian Steamer which sank in 1916

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Wreckhunters find Canadian Steamer which sank in 1916

November 17, 2013 - 21:32
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Jim Kennard and partners have located the shipwreck of the Roberval, 128-foot Canadian steamer that sank nearly a century ago in lake Ontario. The Roberval was one of only two undiscovered steel clad ships still in the lake.

Early photo of the Canadian steamer Roberval

The Ottawa-based steamer was hauling lumber across the lake's eastern end, bound for Oswego, when it ran into rough conditions in late September 1916.

According to Shipwreck World, tons of spruce lumber piled on deck broke lose when 30 mph winds kicked up high waves that knocked the ship on its side. Some of the lumber smashed into the upper cabin structure and hit a crewman, who was knocked overboard and drowned.

The Roberval sank in water more than 300 feet deep, about 16 miles off Oswego. After discovering the wreck, Kennard and fellow explorers Roger Pawlowski of Gates and Roland Stevens of Poultneyville used a remotely operated vehicle to get video footage of the shipwreck. Details captured in the footage match up with photographs taken of the Roberval after it was built in 1907, Kennard said.

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