The Asia docked in 1880. Courtesy of the Dave Thomas Collection.
Built in St. Catherines, Ontario in 1873, the SS Asia was a canaller adapted to become a passenger ship by the owners. The vessel had 30 staterooms but would carry more than 100 passengers. On September 13 1882, the Asia left Collingwood, Ontario with over 100 passengers, and freight including 14 draft horses, and began a trip to the French River Village and Sault St. Marie, stopping in Meaford, Owen Sound, Manitoulin Island and Presqu’ile Point.
On September 14, the Asia departed from Presqu’ile Point at 4:00 a.m. Four hours later, trouble arose. By 8:00 a.m., the wind had picked up and by 11:00 a.m., the weather had become too hostile for the ship. Heavy with passengers and cargo, the narrow vessel meant for canals broke apart in the rough open waters of Georgian Bay. All but one of the lifeboats was lost in the waves and of the approximately 122 aboard the Asia, only two passengers survived making it to shore near Parry Sound.
Christy Ann Morrison was one of only two to survivor the steamer wreckage on Georgian Bay. Morrison and Mr. Tinkiss, the other survivor, spent 18 hours in a lifeboat, and 2 days lost on land until they were rescued by a local indigenous man, who canoed the pair to Parry Sound.
Photo of the Asia and Ontario docked in Parry Sound, dated 1880.
Photo of Christie Ann Morrison taken in 1882.
Artists Round the Sound
Artists Round the Sound. A Georgian Bay Skeleton—The Asia-- 1882. Glass. 76.3 sq. ft. 2005.
The disaster was immortalized in a crushed glass mural A Georgian Bay Skeleton—The Asia-- 1882. Created by fourteen members of Artist Round the Sound (ARTS), the large art piece was installed at the Museum on Tower Hill in the Summer of 2005. Crushed glass (frit) for the impressive and colourful mural was provided by artist Mary Jane Zissoff, who has worked with glass since 1975. Enviro Tex Lite epoxy was used to meld the crushed glass together. Roughly 800 hours went into completing the 76.3 sq. ft. mural for the Museum. A Georgian Bay Skeleton—The Asia-- 1882 was featured by the Stained Glass Association of America in the 2006 issue of The Stained Glass Quarterly (100th year issue).
Museum Artist Room with panels, 2005
Artists Round the Sound
Project Coordinators
Carol Cascantette & Mary Jane Zissoff
Artists Round the Sound
Anne McCallum, Bernie Cuthbert, Bette Bastedo, Dianne Wallace, Fran Rutke, Jenny Pilgrim, Jim Dick, Josef Gardisch, Judy Ideson, Phil Miller, Rino Ouellette, Ron Mancey, Sue Stocco, Susan Telford
Project Donations
Thermal Pane Panels by Ross Window, Parry Sound
Custom Art Glass by Trilogy of Art, Parry Sound
Funds for the mural were donated by The Rotary Club of Parry Sound & McNabb Home Hardware
Shoals, Shipwrecks and Shorelines is currently on display on the
4th floor at the West Parry Sound District Health Centre!
