Union Steamship Cheslakee - photos & discussion

[Low Light Mike]

Has anyone else heard of the old BC Steamship "Cheslakee", which sank at the wharf at VanAnda (Texada Isl) in the 1930's?

I saw a local historical video of this a few years ago......sounded like a dramatic night-time sinking at the dock, with passengers asleep as the ship sank.

My inlaws had some farm equipment on their farm that had been salvaged from the wreck.....that was interesting.

[Shane]

I own the video.
I also have many pics of the Cheslakee when she was in service and when she sank.
And she wasn't a Bc Steamship, she was a Union Steamship.
The Cheslakee sank in 1913.
After she sank she was refloated and sent to dry dock where they cut her in half and inserted a new part of the ship in the middle, Bc Ferries was to do the same thing over 55 years later to their V-Class ships.
After the Cheslakee was rebuilt she was renamed Cheakamus, and would serve Union Steamships for 29 more years until she was retired in 1942, she was sold to an American company and was converted into a towboat, and a hull was also purchased for use as a barge. She was sold shortly after to the U.S. Department of Transport for $75,000 as a salvage tug.
A few years later she was sscrapped.

[Scott]

I visited VanAnda in the springtime and there was a memorial along the roadside for that sinking. I'm also in the middle of reading "Whistle up the Inlet" and an account of that sinking is in that book as well.

[Shane]

Here is some more stuff about the Cheslakee.
She was built in 1910 by Dublin Dockyard Co. and completed in Belfast.
Her dimensions were 126 feet in length, 28.1 feet in width and 10 feet in depth.
Gross tons: 526
Official number:130309
Her engines were MacColl & Co, Triple expansion, 58 RHP, and she had a speed of 12 knots maximum.
Her passenger licence was 148 with cabin berths for 56.
She could carry 120 tons of cargo.
When she was built she looked more like a tug than a steamer because her superstructure hadnt been completed yet and wouldnt be finished until she arrived in Vancouver to be finished.
When she was completed, she had 23 first class cabins to provide 56 berths and a small but comfortable lounge.
Her well planned dining saloon provided 30 seats.
After her superstructure was completed she became top heavy and she always had a list, she would also roll in heavy seas.
Here are some pics of the Cheslakee.


And here are some pics of here when she sank in Vananda in 1913.


And here is a picture of her getting repaired after the sinking and getting rebuilt into the Cheakamus.

And here is a picture of her as the Cheakamus.

[Low Light Mike]

Shane, you are awsome! thanks for all the info. If you watch your video, they have a few shots of my inlaw's old farm that shows an old wagon-wheel that was salvaged from the wreck.

John, you're awesome too. This is a great discussion. This coastal steamship stuff is great history. My father-in-law was born on Cortes Island and then his family moved to Powell River to homestead in Paradise Valley in the 1920's (before the valley burned in the fire). For them, the Union Steamships were the lifeline of travel & supply for their home. If my memory is correct, my father-in-law's family had a horse that was on that ship when it sunk, and the horse was killed (I guess that they had bought the horse from somewhere else, and they were "shipping" it to their farm). I've just checked with my wife, and yes this is a true story (or so she was told).

[Balfour]

I'm enjoying reading this!

[Shane]

We can have seperate pages for each ship.
This is the Chelakee/Cheakamus page.

[Shane]

admin said:

I visited VanAnda in the springtime and there was a memorial along the roadside for that sinking. I'm also in the middle of reading "Whistle up the Inlet" and an account of that sinking is in that book as well.

Whistle Up The Inlet is a great book, I have it.
I also have Echoes of the Whistle and The Good Company.

[Political Incorrectness]

this should bring back the good old days

[Shane]

Yep! ;D

[Ferryman]

I can't believe the ship sank for one thing, and then refloated and brought to the drydock, repaired and made longer, and was given a new name! On top of that, it did a few more years of service. Now that's something you don't see or hear about everyday!

[Low Light Mike]

Oct 16, 2005 13:16:12 GMT -8 Scott said:

I visited VanAnda in the springtime and there was a memorial along the roadside for that sinking.

Here are some photos, taken this week: