Two Steam Boilers
Large fire-tube boilers are among the most recognizable remains, providing a record of nineteenth-century marine engineering.
UB Diving | British Columbia Maritime History
Del Norte
Porlier Pass | Southern Gulf Islands | British Columbia
Interactive 3D model — Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia. Photogrammetry by Ewan Anderson. Rotate and zoom using your mouse or touch screen.
The remains of a 190-foot sidewheel steamship lost in 1868. Its boilers, oscillating steam engine and paddle-wheel machinery reveal a remarkable piece of British Columbia's maritime past.
Vessel
Sidewheel Steamship
Length
Approx. 190 feet
Year Lost
1868
Location
Porlier Pass
The History
Fog, Powerful Tides and a Steamship Lost
Del Norte carried passengers and cargo along the Pacific Coast during the 1860s, when steamships connected communities that depended on the sea.
On October 21, 1868, the ship encountered fog while navigating Porlier Pass between Galiano and Valdes islands. As the captain attempted to back out of the passage, the tidal current caught the vessel and drove its stern onto rocks near Canoe Islet.
Efforts to save the ship were unsuccessful. The passengers and crew escaped, and the stranded steamship was later lost beneath the water during severe weather.
More than 150 years later, important components of the propulsion system remain on the seabed, preserving evidence of the coast's early steamship era.
Unlike a purpose-sunk artificial reef, Del Norte is a genuine nineteenth-century maritime casualty. Its surviving machinery is a direct connection to British Columbia's working coastal history.
The Wreck Today
Steamship Engineering on the Seabed
Several features of the vessel's original propulsion system remain recognizable in the wreck and the 3D documentation.
Oscillating Steam Engine
The unusual engine behind the boilers is one of Del Norte's most distinctive mechanical features.
Paddle-Wheel Machinery
Remaining sidewheel-drive components help explain how steam power propelled the vessel along the Pacific Coast.
Research and Documentation
Preserving Del Norte in 3D
Underwater surveys, photography and photogrammetry have made it possible to study this historic wreck without disturbing the site.
Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia
UB Diving acknowledges the Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia (UASBC) for its research, surveys and documentation of Del Norte.
Special recognition goes to Ewan Anderson, whose underwater photography and photogrammetry produced detailed 3D models of the wreck's boilers, engine and paddle-wheel machinery.
We also recognize Jacques Marc for helping organize and document the survey work, and Jim Dixon for assisting Ewan with underwater lighting.
Their work makes an important part of British Columbia's maritime history accessible to divers, researchers and the public while helping document fragile underwater heritage.
Research reference: Jacques Marc, Del Norte — A Photogrammetric Success , UASBC Foghorn newsletter, 2018. The interactive model above is credited to UASBC and Ewan Anderson.
Underwater Heritage
A Historic Wreck Worth Protecting
Del Norte lies near Porlier Pass in an area known for strong tidal currents. Any dive here requires appropriate training, careful tidal planning and suitable conditions.
Historic shipwreck sites can be protected under British Columbia's Heritage Conservation Act. The machinery and artifacts should be left undisturbed. The model above allows visitors to study this wreck without physical contact.
Responsible Wreck Diving
- Plan for tides, currents and weather
- Maintain precise buoyancy control
- Avoid contact with wreck structures
- Leave historic artifacts in place
- Never anchor on the wreck
- Stay within training and experience
Continue Exploring
More Vancouver Island Diving
Learn about additional wreck diving opportunities, vessels and upcoming charter dates.
UB Diving | Vancouver Island
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