SS Princess Kathleen (1924)
Encyclopedia
The SS Princess Kathleen was a passenger and freight steamship owned and operated by Canadian Pacific Steamships. She served the coastal communities of British Columbia
, Alaska
and Washington.
The Princess Kathleen, along with the Princess Marguerite, were built to replace the SS Princess Irene and SS Princess Margaret which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty during World War I
.
Princess Kathleen was built by John Brown & Co.
, Clydebank
and launched in 1924. She sailed from Glasgow
to Vancouver
via the Panama Canal
on her maiden voyage in 1925. The Princess Kathleen and the Princess Marguerite relieved the SS Princess Charlotte and SS Princess Victoria on the "triangle service" between Vancouver, Victoria
and Seattle, for which she was built. With a capacity of 1500 passengers, 290 berths, 136 staterooms, a 168 seat dining room and the ability to carry 30 automobiles, the Princess Kathleen and Princess Marguerite quickly became the preferred ships on this service, successfully competing against the Black Ball Line
. Both ships were later modified to carry 1800 passengers by reducing the number of staterooms to 123.
The King and Queen traveled aboard Princess Kathleen en route to Victoria in 1939.
In September 1939 Princess Kathleen and Princess Marguerite were requisitioned by the Royal Canadian Navy
for use as troop ships. Princess Marguerite was lost in action but Princess Kathleen was returned to Canadian Pacific in 1947 and resumed service on the "triangle service." Changing demands and increased automobile traffic saw Canadian Pacific transfer her in 1949 to the Vancouver - Alaska cruise service along the spectacular Inside Passage
.
It was while during this assignment at 0300 local time on September 7, 1952 that Princess Kathleen ran aground at Lena Point in Alaska's Lynn Canal
at low tide; it was later determined that radar
was not operational at the time of the grounding. The United States Coast Guard
was alerted two hours later and a rescue cutter arrived at 0630. The crew tried to reverse off Lena Point, however as the tide rose, her stern became swamped. All passengers and crew were transferred to lifeboats and ashore as she slid into deeper water and then sank.
The wreck of Princess Kathleen sits in approximately 50 ft (15.2 m)-100 ft (30.5 m) of water and is accessible to divers, however, tides and currents in the vicinity of Lena Point are strong. The wreck contains approximately 155000 US gal (586,738.9 l) of Number 6 fuel oil
and in April 2010 crews began operations to salvage the fuel in advance of a possible catastrophic leak.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Washington.
The Princess Kathleen, along with the Princess Marguerite, were built to replace the SS Princess Irene and SS Princess Margaret which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Princess Kathleen was built by John Brown & Co.
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
, Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
and launched in 1924. She sailed from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on her maiden voyage in 1925. The Princess Kathleen and the Princess Marguerite relieved the SS Princess Charlotte and SS Princess Victoria on the "triangle service" between Vancouver, Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
and Seattle, for which she was built. With a capacity of 1500 passengers, 290 berths, 136 staterooms, a 168 seat dining room and the ability to carry 30 automobiles, the Princess Kathleen and Princess Marguerite quickly became the preferred ships on this service, successfully competing against the Black Ball Line
Puget Sound Navigation Company
The Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...
. Both ships were later modified to carry 1800 passengers by reducing the number of staterooms to 123.
The King and Queen traveled aboard Princess Kathleen en route to Victoria in 1939.
In September 1939 Princess Kathleen and Princess Marguerite were requisitioned by the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
for use as troop ships. Princess Marguerite was lost in action but Princess Kathleen was returned to Canadian Pacific in 1947 and resumed service on the "triangle service." Changing demands and increased automobile traffic saw Canadian Pacific transfer her in 1949 to the Vancouver - Alaska cruise service along the spectacular Inside Passage
Inside Passage
The Inside Passage is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific coast of North America. The route extends from southeastern Alaska, in the United States, through western British Columbia, in Canada, to northwestern Washington...
.
It was while during this assignment at 0300 local time on September 7, 1952 that Princess Kathleen ran aground at Lena Point in Alaska's Lynn Canal
Lynn Canal
Lynn Canal is an inlet into the mainland of southeast Alaska.Lynn Canal runs about from the inlets of the Chilkat River south to Chatham Strait and Stephens Passage...
at low tide; it was later determined that radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
was not operational at the time of the grounding. The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
was alerted two hours later and a rescue cutter arrived at 0630. The crew tried to reverse off Lena Point, however as the tide rose, her stern became swamped. All passengers and crew were transferred to lifeboats and ashore as she slid into deeper water and then sank.
The wreck of Princess Kathleen sits in approximately 50 ft (15.2 m)-100 ft (30.5 m) of water and is accessible to divers, however, tides and currents in the vicinity of Lena Point are strong. The wreck contains approximately 155000 US gal (586,738.9 l) of Number 6 fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
and in April 2010 crews began operations to salvage the fuel in advance of a possible catastrophic leak.
External links
- State of Alaska, Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Princess Kathleen