Emergencies and World Disasters
Vanished Without a Trace: The Waubuno's Last Cold Run
24 min•1 september 2026
Om avsnittet
Vanished Without a Trace: The Waubuno's Last Cold Run
Ice, money and a failing hull: a lifebuoy with a name washed ashore after the steamer Waubuno left Collingwood on November 22, 1879 with 24 people aboard - and none were ever found. What do an inverted lifeboat stove in at both ends, a ship's ledger, and a stamped paddle-box fragment tell us about the disaster - and did those who sent her out already expect she might not return?
In this episode, we tell what the transcript records about the Waubuno's final voyage, the ship's condition, the cargo she carried and the debris recovered from Georgian Bay, and we ask whether commercial pressure and known defects shaped the fate of everyone on board.
Person: Captain George Plumpton Burkitt
Date: November 22, 1879
Location: Georgian Bay (between Collingwood and Parry Sound)
Event: Final voyage of steamer Waubuno
Cargo value: $10,000
- 24 people were aboard when the Waubuno left Collingwood at 4:00 AM on Saturday, November 22, 1879.
- The lifeboat found floating was inverted and stove in at both ends.
- A life-preserver washed ashore had the ship's name printed on it.
- The Waubuno had been built in 1865 and served the route for 14 years before her last season.
- A December 12, 1879 report noted the original false sides were still in place and the ship leaked enough to require pumping the Sunday before departure.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Ice, money and a failing hull: a lifebuoy with a name washed ashore after the steamer Waubuno left Collingwood on November 22, 1879 with 24 people aboard - and none were ever found. What do an inverted lifeboat stove in at both ends, a ship's ledger, and a stamped paddle-box fragment tell us about the disaster - and did those who sent her out already expect she might not return?
In this episode, we tell what the transcript records about the Waubuno's final voyage, the ship's condition, the cargo she carried and the debris recovered from Georgian Bay, and we ask whether commercial pressure and known defects shaped the fate of everyone on board.
Person: Captain George Plumpton Burkitt
Date: November 22, 1879
Location: Georgian Bay (between Collingwood and Parry Sound)
Event: Final voyage of steamer Waubuno
Cargo value: $10,000
- 24 people were aboard when the Waubuno left Collingwood at 4:00 AM on Saturday, November 22, 1879.
- The lifeboat found floating was inverted and stove in at both ends.
- A life-preserver washed ashore had the ship's name printed on it.
- The Waubuno had been built in 1865 and served the route for 14 years before her last season.
- A December 12, 1879 report noted the original false sides were still in place and the ship leaked enough to require pumping the Sunday before departure.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Emergencies and World Disasters med Creator at Obomedia finns tillgänglig på flera plattformar. Informationen på denna sida kommer från offentliga podd-flöden.