Significant Events

Numerous wrecks still lie on the bottom of the St. Lawrence. They bear witness to the many tragic events that have occurred on this unpredictable river over the past 500 years. Thousands of sailors and passengers have perished in these waters. In 1990, diver Richard Taschereau discovered the remains of the Corossol in the Bay of Sept-Îles. This ship was among the most famous wrecks from the era of New France, and an island was even named after it. Built in the Netherlands, the ship belong to King Louis XIV of France. The Corossol, as part of a fleet of five ships commanded by Sieur Pierre Lemoyne d'Iberville, left Quebec bound for France on November 7, 1693. Élisabeth Auber, wife of Jean-Baptiste Franquelin, the King's Hydrographer, and eight of their children were among its passengers. Unfortunately, a storm rose during the voyage and the Corossol was lost. In the 18th century, many other ships met their end in the gulf and estuary of the St. Lawrence, taking with them over 1500 sailors and passengers.

Hundreds of ships have been wrecked near Anticosti Island. This island in the middle of the gulf is surrounded by shoals. It represents a major obstacle to navigation on the St. Lawrence, and has even been called the "Graveyard of the Gulf."

Rocky shoals surround Anticosti Island and stretch out hundreds of metres into the water, creating a treacherous trap for sailors.

The trawler Calou ran aground at the western tip of Anticosti in 1982. Its wreck bears witness to the danger this island poses for navigation.

On Anticosti Island, there is a small cemetery not far from the Pointe-Sud-Ouest lighthouse. It holds the remains of members of the Pope family, who were stationed at the lighthouse. It is also the final resting place of a group of shipwrecked sailors. On November 22, 1874, the brigantine Orient, with a crew of 16 men, struck the shoals. Six sailors drowned and their bodies were lost at sea. The captain and seven other crew members froze to death.

The captain's brother, Gilbert Joyce, and seaman Charles Moore survived. They were rescued by Edward Pope Jr. and his family, and remained at the lighthouse until the following spring.

The Lachine Rapids are located between Lake Saint-Louis and the La Prairie Basin on the St. Lawrence. Over a distance of just 10 km, they descend by 13 metres. They have long been a major obstacle to navigation. To travel upstream, people would have to carry their boats for several kilometres around the rapids. In 1680, Dollier de Casson, a superior at the Sulpician Seminary in Montreal, ordered the construction of a 1.5-metre deep canal to bypass the rapids. Although major portions were dug out between Montreal and Lachine, the work was never completed. Montreal merchants campaigned to have the project resumed. The Lachine Canal was finally inaugurated on August 24, 1824, but did not fully open to navigation until 1825. The width and depth of the canal were nearly doubled between 1843 and 1849, and a second series of locks was built. Between 1873 and 1885, the original locks were replaced by larger locks that allowed the passage of bigger ships. Between 1840 and 1950, nearly 600 industrial businesses sprung up along the canal. After the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, the Lachine Canal grew less important, amd was finally closed to navigation in 1970. The canal could not be enlarged because too many businesses and homes were built along its banks. The Lachine Canal was reopened to recreational boating in 2002.

During the last third of the 19th century, running the Lachine Rapids in a steamboat was a popular tourist attraction for adventurous thrill-seekers.

Edward, Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII, was among the first tourists to brave these roiling waters in August 1860. He had come to Montreal to attend the inauguration of Victoria Bridge, named after his mother, Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland.

In the mid-19th century, numerous smaller steamboat companies were founded to provide service between Quebec City and Montreal. The great ocean-going steamers had to stop at the port of Quebec City because their deep draughts did not allow them to go further upriver.

The Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company was one of the most prominent steamboat companies of the time. Its boats travelled from the Saguenay to Lake Ontario. On the return voyage, the boats would shoot down the Lachine Rapids—to the great excitement of their passengers.

Towards the end of the 19th century, shooting the rapids became a very popular activity. It was a big draw for tourists, with nearly 20,000 making the descent every year.

To guide the boats through the white waters, the steamboat companies would hire Mohawk pilots from Kahnawake, right by the Lachine Rapids. In fact, Kahnawake means "on the rapids" in Iroquois. These skilled pilots, renowned for their navigational expertise and in-depth knowledge of the river, kept their passengers safe.

The first of these Mohawk steamboat pilots was Jean-Baptiste Taiaiake, who lived from 1811 to 1892. An imposing man, with a height of 6 foot 7 (2.01 metres), he was also known as Big John Rice.

The most famous Mohawk pilot was Jean-Baptiste Canadien, who was born in 1840 and died in 1919. His Iroquois name was Sawatis Aiontonnis. Since he was also very tall, standing at 6 foot 5 (1.96 metres), he was nicknamed Big John Canadian.

His fame was due to his feats of navigation on the rapids and his skill as a river steamboat pilot. Three times, on New Year’s Day, he shot the rapids in a wooden canoe he had built with his own hands. Each time he brought along two other Mohawks, as well as two passengers eager for excitement. The papers reported on his exploits.

In 1876, Big John Canadian, then captain of the Kahnawake lacrosse team, was presented to Queen Victoria when she attended a match. Later, in 1884, the pilot was hired by the British army to navigate through the cataracts of the Nile in Egypt.

Although the excursions were generally safe, boats did sink going through the rapids. In 1873, the steamboat Louis Renaud was ferrying passengers between Beauharnois and Montreal when it capsized in the Lachine Rapids. Luckily, all the passengers were saved by Mohawks from Kahnawake.

The ocean liners Empress of Ireland and Empress of Britain, commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway company, were built in a Scottish shipyard in 1904. At the time, they were the largest and most luxurious ocean liners to travel on the St. Lawrence. The Empress of Ireland was launched on January 27, 1906. This 168-metre steamboat carried passengers between Quebec City and Liverpool.

This type of ship was intended to meet increased transportation needs due to a wave of immigration in the early 20th century. Passengers could travel in first, second or third class, depending on their budget.

The different ticket classes allowed passengers to access different quarters and dining rooms. Of course, the most luxurious rooms and finest meals were reserved for first-class passengers.

This ocean liner could carry 1,580 passengers and 420 crew members.

On May 28, 1914, the Empress of Ireland began its 192nd Atlantic crossing, leaving Quebec City bound for Liverpool at 4:27 p.m. with 1,477 people on board. The Norwegian freighter Storstad, loaded with 10,000 tonnes of coal, was travelling in the opposite direction. Coming from Nova Scotia, it reached Sainte-Anne-des-Monts at 4:30 p.m. During the night, a thick fog rose. At 1:55 a.m., the Storstad crashed into the starboard side of the Empress of Ireland, between its two smoke stacks. Unfortunately, as the Storstad reversed, it opened a gaping hole in the ocean liner's side, allowing water to pour in. Just 14 minutes after the collision, at 2:09 a.m., the Empress of Ireland sank beneath the river. The wreck claimed the lives of 1,012 victims (840 passengers and 172 crew members).

This terrible wreck took place on May 29, 1914 near Rimouski, about 11 km north-east of the Pointe-au-Père lighthouse. It has been called the worst maritime disaster in Canadian history. But the tragic accident was soon forgotten in the wake of an event that shook the entire world: on June 28, 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and his wife were assassinated during a visit to Sarajevo, triggering World War I.

Although heavily damaged, the coal carrier did not sink after the collision. Its crew attempted to come to the aid of the Empress of Ireland's passengers. Many of the 465 survivors were pulled out of the water and brought aboard the Storstad. A few years later, in 1917, it was sunk by a German U-boat north of Ireland.

The pilot boat Eureka, from the Pointe-au-Père pilot station, arrived at the scene of the disaster 45 minutes later.

The postal ship Lady Evelyn was the next to arrive. It collected the survivors from aboard the Storstad. The Eureka and the Lady Evelyn unloaded the survivors at the Rimouski wharf at 6 a.m.

The local community offered aid, clothing and food to the survivors. The Hospice of the Sisters of Charity and several large hotels were converted into temporary hospitals.

The remains of the victims were brought to a warehouse in Rimouski, and pine coffins were built for them. On May 30, the Lady Grey carried 188 coffins to Quebec City

A Commission of Inquiry found the captain of the Storstad guilty of negligence in changing course under conditions of extremely low visibility. The captain of the Empress of Ireland was also found at fault for deciding to stop the ocean liner in the fog for eight minutes.

The Empress of Ireland rests on the riverbed, over 45 metres deep. In summer 1914, a buoy was placed over the wreck.

On August 20, 1914, divers employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway company brought up the ship's safe and a few other items. In summer 1964, divers began exploring the wreck. Many people have since rummaged through the remains of the Empress of Ireland, taking numerous artifacts from the wreck. To protect the wreck, the Ministry of Culture and Communications declared it a site of historical and archaeological importance on April 15, 1999. Taking items from the ship was prohibited and the Coast Guard installed a white buoy to indicate that the site is protected.

The Pointe-au-Père maritime historic site in Rimouski opened a building dedicated to the Empress of Ireland in the summer of 2000. It presents a 3D experience telling the story of the disaster, as well as a large collection of artifacts from the wreck.

This pavilion presents hundreds of artifacts, photos, documents from archives, models and testimonials from survivors and their descendants.

Here we can see the outside bridge telephone, the engine order telegraph, the steering wheel, a pair of binoculars and a steering compass.

During World War II. German submarines, known as U-boats, were a great threat to ships crossing the Atlantic to bring supplies to the U.K. As a major harbour, the Port of Halifax was a prime target for U-boats patrolling off Nova Scotia. Ships would travel in convoys for protection, with the merchant ships sailing close together. The ships carrying the most important cargo, such as arms and petroleum, stayed in the middle, while military ships were placed around them as an escort.

In May 1942, U-boats began venturing up the St. Lawrence. Two cargo ships were torpedoed and sank off the coast of the Gaspé Peninsula. People were terrified to see that the Germans could hit so close to home. The Royal Canadian Navy was tasked with defending ships navigating the St. Lawrence. These attacks continued until 1944, in a conflict known as the Battle of the St. Lawrence. During this period, 23 ships were sunk and hundreds of lives were lost. The year 1942 was particularly difficult, with 21 ships being destroyed.

On May 1, 1942, the Fort Ramsay naval base in Gaspé was inaugurated. Nearly 2,500 soldiers were posted there to monitor the gulf for German U-boats. The fort was defended by a fleet of 19 warships: five minesweepers, six patrol boats, an armed yacht and seven corvettes. An anti-submarine net stretched between the two shores, protecting the bay. British Navy ships even came to shelter there.

The Royal Canadian Air Force also flew air patrols out of Gaspé. With the German threat so near, citizens welcomed the added security that came with the deployment of these military forces and understood the need to respect a curfew.

On July 20, 1942, the submarine U-132 torpedoed the SS Frederika Lensen. Ten men were killed in the attack, although the ship did not sink. Two warships towed the merchant ship to Grande-Vallée Bay, where they beached it. Over time, the waves split the wreck of the SS Frederika Lensen in two. In May 1944, the Gagnon brothers purchased the wreck. They began to dismantle it on July 28, but had to suspend operations the following spring due to lack of funds. They petitioned Transport Canada for financing, stating that the remainder of the wreck posed an obstacle to navigation, but were refused. In the late 1980s, the two sections of the wreck that had sunk into the sediments finally disappeared under the water.

The SS Chatham was sunk in the strait of Belle Isle and 13 of its 562 passengers and crew were killed. The survivors were rescued by the HMCS Trail.

On September 8, 1942, the U-517 launched a torpedo at the Meadcliffe Hall, which was loaded with lumber. But the captain of the merchant ship changed his course and the German U-boat missed its target. Instead, the torpedo struck the beach near the village of Saint-Yvon. The shockwave shattered many windows and a thick black smoke covered the village. The low tide kept the torpedo from travelling farther and causing more damage.

A local resident, Mr. Rock Côté, recovered the torpedo and towed it to shore.

Officers requisitioned the torpedo from Mr. Côté so they could examine it. They returned it to him in 1950.

Mr. Côté built a small shed to hold the torpedo. A sign indicated that visitors could see the German torpedo there. Many tourists came to the village to examine the extraordinary object. In 1987, the torpedo was donated to the Musée de la Gaspésie in Gaspé.

On September 11, 1942, the U-517 sank the HMCS Charlottetown off Cap-Chat, as people watched from the shoreline. Ten crew members lost their lives.

In November 1942, at 6:30 a.m., Lieutenant Werner Alfred Waldemar Von Janowski of the German fleet asked for a room at the New Carlisle Hotel. His accent, inconsistencies in his speech and his use of an old Canadian one-dollar bill, no longer in circulation, raised the suspicions of the son of the hotel owner, Earle Annett Jr.

Less than three hours after his arrival, the German lieutenant left the hotel for the station. Mr. Annett contacted constable Alfonse Duchesneau of the Quebec provincial police. The spy was arrested on the train. He was imprisoned in New Carlisle, then transferred to Montreal. He was later sent to England, where he collaborated with the British secret service.

The HMCS Chedabucto escorted many merchant ships and participated in rescue operations. On October 21, 1943, the Chedabucto was mandated to escort the cable ship SS Lord Kelvin. As the ships attempted to rendezvous, they collided near Saint-Siméon. The cable ship sank and the HMCS Chedabucto lost a crew member. This violent accident was due to an error of judgment, as some of the officers had little experience or knowledge of navigation.

On October 14, 1944, the HMCS Magog was torpedoed by the U-1223 off Pointe-des-Monts. Three people died in the attack. Although heavily damaged, the ship remained afloat and was towed to the shipyard in Lauzon. However, it was found to be damaged beyond repair and was sold for scrap in 1945.

May 8, 1945 marked the end of World War II. Three days later, the U-190 was surrendered to the Royal Canadian Navy. This submarine was responsible for sinking the minesweeper HMCS Esquimalt near Halifax on April 16. In June, it was commissioned into the Canadian fleet as the HMCS U-190. In 1947, it was scuttled at the site of the wreck of the HMCS Esquimalt.

The U-889 was intercepted by the Canadian Navy on May 10, 1945, but did not arrive at Shelburne, Nova Scotia until May 13 because of rough weather.

Canadian sailors boarded the U-889. One of them, wearing the insignia of the Navy Police, an armband marked with the letters N and P, raised the White Ensign on the submarine's mast.

On November 16, 1965, the ore carrier Lawrencecliffe Hall and the cargo ship Sunek collided during a major snowstorm. To avoid blocking the shipping channel, the captain beached the ship on Île d'Orléans not far from the village of Saint-Jean. It keeled over soon after.

Starting in early December, workers from Marine Industries assessed the work needed to salvage the ship.

This ore carrier was loaded with 23,000 tonnes of iron ore. Therefore, the first step was to unload its heavy cargo. Then, a channel was dredged along the full length of the hull and the ship was righted on its keel. After the salvage operation was complete, the ship was towed to the shipyard in Lauzon and placed in a dry dock for repairs.

On October 2, 1966, the dredger Manseau 101 faced heavy winds as it headed to the building site of the new Quebec Bridge. It was destabilized by nearly 3 metre high waves left in the wake of the ship Franconia, and sank in barely 3 minutes not far from the bridge. Ten men died in the shipwreck, while 13 others survived. The bodies of eight of the victims remain imprisoned in the wreck. The dredger Manseau 101 was built in the Manseau shipyard in 1920. This shipyard was renamed Marine Industries Ltd. in 1937.