The Wreck of the Cavalier
The fateful night for the schooner Cavalier was Friday August 31, 1906. A crew of five, led by a Captain Glass were transporting cedar lumber on Lake Huron when a …
Marine
The Wreck of the Nettie Woodward
The wreck of the Nettie Woodward had great significance to Southampton and is often quoted as being the wreck that was the impetus for finally establishing Southampton’s life saving station. …
SCUBA Diving
After the Second World War, the technology used by military divers, often known as Frogmen, continued to be improved upon and by the 1960s equipment had been created that allowed …
Southampton’s Long Dock and Harbour of Refuge
If you take a tour to the top of Chantry Island Lighthouse (https://chantryisland.com/) and look across the lake towards Southampton, you may see shadows under the water, curving through the …
Captain John Munro & the Azov
Captain John Munro was born May 10, 1842 in Argyllshire Scotland, and was raised in Bruce Township, where his parents farmed. By 1881, he was sailing the Great Lakes and …
The Wreck of the Ann Maria
On Tuesday, October 7, 1902, strong northwesterly winds were blowing breakers high onto the Kincardine pier. Around 10pm, faint cries could be heard coming from the water. Upon investigation, a …
Early Lifesaving
Plying the waters of Bruce’s shores have always posed many dangers and the vast amount of shipwrecks stand as a testament to that fact. Tragedies, such as the sinking of …
The Wreck of the Francis P. Ritchie
Considered to be the last major wreck at Southampton, the Francis P. Ritchie met its fate August 29, 1931. The ship, a wooden schooner, was built in 1888 and was …
Chantry Island Lighthouse
Picturesque in its setting, Chantry Island doesn’t appear to be a dangerous place for lake going vessels, but beneath the waters lies shoals of large rocks. As Southampton was established …
Captain John Spence
One of the earliest permanent settlers, and one of the most week-known, in the Bruce was Captain John Spence. Captain Spence was born in 1814, in the Orkney Islands, just …
