Maid of Orleans

The Maid of Orleans wreck site is located on the north side of the eastern arm of Cockatrice Bay, on Broughton Island, British Columbia. The hull of the wreck is submerged, partially intact, and lays upside down on the seabed.

British Columbia's Heritage Conservation Act automatically protects all heritage wrecks, including the remains of all wrecked vessels and aircraft once two or more years have passed since the date of loss. It is illegal to damage, alter or remove a heritage object from a heritage wreck except under a permit issued by the Archaeology Branch.

The Maid Orleans has historic value for its long operating life that spanned an important period of economic development on the West Coast of North America. This is represented by the various roles the vessel played in key economic activities that helped drive the development of many industries on the West Coast from California to the Arctic Ocean.

During its lengthy and distinguished career, the Maid of Orleans operated as a lumber schooner, rum runner, cannery tender, cod fishing vessel, arctic explorer and finally a barge. The Maid of Orleans was originally a schooner launched at the B. F. Dickie Brothers shipyard in San Francisco in October 1882. The vessel was 110.2 ft long with a beam of 29.5 ft. During its service life, it went through several alterations and names. It was refitted for Arctic service in the mid-1920's, which included the installation of a 1921 Atlas Imperial diesel which produced 150 horsepower giving it a top speed of 6 knots. In its final years the vessel was stripped down and the hull used as a barge until it was left to sink in Cockatrice Bay in 1971. At the time of its loss, it was registered as Joan G.

The key elements that define the character of the Maid of Orleans include:

- Partially intact hull

- Remains and debris from vessel that form the wreck site