Twenty feet underwater – but still visible from the surface in Tobermory, Ontario – are the remains of the Sweepstakes, a 119-foot Canadian schooner that was used to transport coal. Built in 1867, after 18 years of service she was damaged near Cove Island. Towed by tugboat, Sweepstakes was brought to Big Tub Harbor in Fathom Five National Marine Park. The damage occurred in August 1885 but was not repaired quickly enough, so the ship sank in the harbor in September of the same year. Today the ship is one of the many shipwrecks of the Marine Park and a popular spot with tour boat passengers, divers, and snorkelers.
The Sweepstakes as seen from a distance
A closer look at the former coal ship
The shipwreck that attracts thousands of tourists and snorkelers
The sleeping giant
virtualtrotter 