Shamrock (I)

This vessel was said to have been the first steamer built at New Westminster BC Canada. On January 20; 1896 this vessel was mortgaged by Jonathan Miller (Postmaster of Vancouver BC). As the Mamie this vessel struck Mamie Rock in September 1897 while travelling, under the command of Captain Henry Smith, from Quascilla Bay to Rivers Inlet with a cargo of fresh salmon. On July 25, 1908 while under command of Captain D. Heritage this vessel was towing logs from Nanoose when her tail shaft broke. The crew stuffed rags into the gland and the tug Daring towed her to Nanaimo for repairs. Count Otto von Alvensleben arrived in Vancouver in 1904, and later formed a real estate and finance company, which was rumoured to be supported by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. His success abruptly ended with the arrival of the First World War, when his assets were seized as “enemy property” and he was forced to flee to Seattle.

He died there in 1965. On December 08, 1926 this vessel struck Bear Rock at the end of Malaspina Strait late at night while en route to Bute Inlet to pick up a tow of logs. The Captain, E.S. Hicks, and his crew of eight evacuated to Bear Rock when the tug filled with water and sank. Three men rowed to Lund where the tug Achates was alerted to the plight of the crew.