1935 Bruce Hudson 1969 (1983)
Steel tank barge
Built at Fort Erie ON by Horton Steel Works
Launched
524’ LOA
1 deck
Enrolled at Toronto ON
164.2 x 30.0 x 10.2, 452 GT, 440 NT Can 158658 to:
Lloyd Refineries, Toronto ON
Entered service April 1935
Capsized July 13, 1935 off Cobourg ON, Lake Ontario in high sea. Enroute from Montreal QC to Port Credit ON with a cargo of crude oil, towed by tug Muscallonge. Towed (upside down) to St. Catharines ON, righted and returned to service.
Crew taken off vessel Nov 16, 1935 in very high seas off Cobourg. Same trip, towed by tug Ethel. Taken under tow by str. Brulin to St. Catharines, where she was repaired by Port Weller Dry Docks. Rebuilt 1939 and converted to twin-screw powered tanker at Port Dalhousie ON by Muir Bros. Dry Dock Co. Powered by two triple expansion engines with oil-fired boilers.
Remeasured to 172.0 x 30.0 x 15.2, 753 GT, 398 NT
Heavily damaged July 26, 1943 in explosion and fire at dock at East Chicago IN, Lake Michigan. Four lost including her master. Repaired with new forward cabins at Port Dalhousie ON by Muir Bros. Dry Dock Co. and returned to service.
Lengthened and deepened 1947 at St. Catharines ON by Port Weller Dry Docks
Remeasured to 212.7 x 30.1 x 15.3, 1071 GT, 734 NT
Sold 1948 to Transit Tankers & Terminals Ltd., Montreal QC.
Transferred 1952 to Coastalake Tankers Ltd. and renamed Coastal Cliff.
Lengthened and repowered with diesel engines 1957 at Montreal QC bt St. Lawrence Drydocks
Remeasured to 250.3 length and 1319 GT, 933 NT
Sold 1969 for off-Lakes service and left the Great Lakes
Renamed Witcroix 1969
Scrapped about 1983 at Cartagena Colombia
See history in Scanner Jan-March 1991 (#188)
(Including interesting and entertaining descriptions of her numerous accidents)
3502
My father Jerry Henry was a crew member of the tug Muscallonge which towed the Bruce Hudson and the Joan Virgnia during the 1930″s. He was aboard the Muscallonge when that vessel burned and sank in the St Lawrence near Brockville August 15, 1936 He was from Port Credit and was acqainted with Lorne Joyce.. It was in the height of the Great Depression, he was paid peanuts but was lucky to have a job. My father knew how to spin a yarn, and I always thought his tales of working on that tug were bullshit. But, as they say, “i looked it up” and was definitely surprised to find that he was indeed on that tug when it burned and sank at the time and place in question. Ron Henry