![]() The Panther was built at the end of an era which saw an impressive amount of clipper ships built in the surrounding area, it was only a decade earlier when nearly one-quarter of all shipwrights in Massachusetts were employed in the Medford shipyards. She began her career early in 1854 at the shipyard in Medford, Mass. The Panther was one of Paul Curtis' celebrated designs. The Panther has a remarkable and impressive story to tell. Ironically, the most common date for her sinking on the point, in November is even inaccurate - she actually went down on January 17, 1874. Others, have speculated that she was an old three masted barque, and some know that she was once a magnificent clipper ship. Some have claimed that she was old British warship, the HMS Panther and was converted to a coal barge at the time of her loss. While the wreck of the Panther is quite well-known, the story of the Panther has been for the most part lost to the annuals of time and sealed over by the sea. The wreck is a mere 100 yards from the end of the pine trees, just past the tip of the reef marker. Narrow Island was renamed Wallace Island in 1905, by Captain John Parry, after Captain Wallace Houstoun of the HMS Trincomalee, who first surveyed the area in the 1850's.įollowing island tradition, the southern tip of the island was named after the wreck, and today is commonly referred to as "Panther Point". The wreck lies just off the south tip marked at 3 1/4 fathoms. The point has been marked on navigation charts for nearly a century, and a large orange triangular reef marker points the way to the hazard just below the waters surface.Īn 1898 nautical chart showing hydrographic surveysīetween 1854-1898. The reef bears the ships name, Panther Point. The wreck is located on a reef in about 30-60 feet of water on the southern tip of Wallace Island (formerly Narrow Island). The ship silhouetted in the logo, is the SS Panther. was the first to survey the wreck site in 1976. The Underwater Archeological Society Of B.C. On Novemthe society placed a plaque on the wreck in hopes to "instill in the growing number of scuba divers who visit the sites, a respect and responsibility towards this part of B.C'.s Maritime Heritage" It was the first wreck surveyed in 1976 by the University of British Columbia and the Underwater Archeology Society Of British Columbia and today, its silhouette forms the Society's Logo. Nautical Charts, the sailing vessel Panther is one of the most well known wrecks of the British Columbia Coast. "That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed Share: Facebook Twitter Yahoo LinkedIn Digg ![]()
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