CONSTRUCTION
In an effort to instigate a significant tourist trade on the Arrow Lakes, the CPR gave the order to construct the largest sternwheeler in the interior of BC at the town of Nakusp. The unfinished beauty slid into the water in April of 1911 going into service July 18th of the same year. J. M. Bulger supervised the project, which resulted in the construction of a mammoth craft measuring 1700 gross tons at a cost of $161,055.57. The Bonnington was 61.7 m (202.5 feet) long, 11.9 m (39.1 feet) wide and 2.3 m (7.5 feet) in depth. Her hull was constructed entirely of steel, heavily braced and divided into 20 watertight compartments to insure the greatest safety from sinking. There were four large rudders with tillers connected to and operated by a single steering gear. Other specifications included a coal-fed firebox that headed a 1379 kPa (200 psi) boiler. This boiler, which was 2.7 m (9 feet) in diameter and 8.6 m (28.3 feet) long, was of the locomotive type and likely the largest boiler of this type built in Canada at that time. It had a grate area of over 8.5 m2 (70 ft2), a heating surface of 255.6 m2 (2,750 ft2) and was designed to burn up to 1700 kg. (3800 lbs.) of coal per hour. This rate of fuel consumption translated into approximately 15 tons of coal for a one way trip from Arrowhead to Robson, a distance of 190 km. Steam pressure drove 2 compound condenser engines with cylinders 40.6 cm (16 inches) and 86.4 cm (34 inches) diameter and a 243.8 cm (96 inch) stroke, that were built by Polson Iron Works of Toronto. These engines were the largest sternwheel engines in the Dominion with an overall length of 22.9 m (75 feet). The engines developed 98 nhp (1200 ihp) and drove a 7.3 m (24 foot) diameter sternwheel, which pushed the Bonnington at speeds of up to 26 kilometers per hour (16 mph).

The main deck was reserved for freight, the engine and boiler room, kitchen, pantry, refrigerator and rooms for cooks, stewards’ and other crew. The passenger accommodations were located in deck houses on three separate decks - first and second saloon decks and upper deck. The first saloon deck also had a smoking room, lavatories, dining room, pantry and ladies room. The second saloon deck had observation rooms fore and aft. The captains and officers’ rooms were located on the upper deck forward with the pilothouse situated above these. The accommodations and public rooms were luxuriously fitted out and furnished. Her 57 staterooms had 122 berths and included two staterooms, fitted out as "bridal chambers" with a shared bath and four large deluxe "family" rooms.

Because of her schedule the Bonnington's 57 staterooms were usually sufficient to handle the trade, but fell short when her licenced capacity of 400 people were on board. To assure the safety of their patrons the CPR equipped the boat with 4 lifeboats (each holding 56 passengers) and 450 life preservers stored for emergencies. She also carried 60 fire buckets, 24 axes, 24 lanterns and 6 life buoys.

OPERATIONAL HISTORY
Because of her design the Bonnington was not a practical boat to run in the winter when ice became a problem and the frequency of passenger travel decreased appreciably. Generally she ran from May 15 to late September or late October of each year and was laid up in Nakusp for the winter. The sternwheelers Kootenai and Minto maintained service in the other months as long as sufficient water remained in the narrows and the route was not blocked by ice. Tugs furnished service on the Lower Arrow lake after the Narrows were closed. This schedule resulted in the annual spring ritual of removing canvas from the Bonnington’s windows and general clean-up, always performed by a small group of Nakusp students fortunate enough to land the job.

Although regarded as a luxury boat, the Bonnington was called upon to do her share of freight movement on the run from Arrowhead to Robson West. The southbound trip from Arrowhead was made at high speed, often carrying perishable foodstuffs destined for Robson West, to be followed by an overnight trip back north, stopping to unload freight at points skipped during the downstream trip. Because overnight passage was part of the schedule to connect with train facilities, providing comfortable accommodation and fine dining was most important.

Early residents of the area have fond memories of the classic boat but regrettably the effects of the Depression combined with the completion of an alternate route - the Kettle Valley Railway - resulted in her early retirement. The CPR mothballed the magnificent vessel at their Nakusp shipyard in 1931.

SALVAGE
In 1933 the Bonnington’s spare smokestack was sold to the Provincial Government to be installed on the Nasookin and the whole vessel sold to the BC Dept. of Public Works for $15,306 on July 21,1942, allowing the transfer of the boiler to the Nasookin. Thereafter began the gradual salvaging of her for brass, metal etc. which saw the Finning Tractor people remove and sell the dynamo for $5000.

Two Beaton men, Frank Sutherland and Jim Millar purchased the Bonnington in 1944, towed it up the Northeast Arm to the wharf and removed the superstructure in order to convert the vessel into a barge. In an interview Frank Sutherland said, "I wasn’t good at keeping things. When I was taking the remains of the Bonnington up to Beaton and we got around the Point-at Nakusp- and had her straightened out, I came across the big ledger with all the names of all the officers that were ever on her, plus the deckhands, firemen etc. And I threw the bloody thing overboard…" The hull was used as such by the Beaton Navigation Co. for a while and a proposal was considered to install 3 diesel engines plus conversion of the craft into a boat capable of carrying 200 passengers. Such a scheme never reached fruition and by 1952 Jim Millar was the sole owner. His son Ken then sold it to Sutherland & Beckett who ran it as a ferry for the Celgar Co. at Low Pass on the Arrow Lakes.

Over the years, the equipment and fittings of the Bonnington were scattered to the winds. The engines went for scrap. The huge kitchen stove was taken apart and sold with one half going to a camp on the coast and the other half reportedly converted to oil and used at St. Leon. The capstan head was sold to Finning Co. Even the dining room mirror was salvaged. Cut in half, Millar’s portion ended up on the Moyie, while Sutherland’s half shattered when a lamp was left burning too close to it.

Much of the superstructure was pulled off and left floating around the Northeast Arm. Windows and decks were removed and used by many locals, in part for chicken coops. The paddle wheel was dismantled although the huge shaft was still in place when it sank. Even some of the gumwood and oak flooring went into Sutherland’s living room.

LOSS
In 1960, while parked at Beaton, the unused hull filled with water and sank. The subsequent raising of the Arrow Lakes through the building of the Keenlyside Dam now leaves the boat submerged with only her bow slightly out of water when the lake drops to extremely low levels in the spring.

SEARCH/DISCOVERY
The Bonnington lies close to the old Beaton wharf near the end of the Northeast Arm of the Upper Arrow Lake. There is only a short window of time in early spring when the ice is off the lake and the visibility is still good enough to warrant a dive. As soon as runoff starts the visibility quickly drops to zero.

An early attempt to locate this ship was made by the UASBC in 1991 when John Pollack and Ron Spencer tried to get to Beaton from Galena Bay in a Zodiac but encountered ice. Much to Spencer’s chagrin Pollack used the Zodiac as an icebreaker. Eventually this interesting endeavor was abandoned, as they were miles from nowhere on a section of water seldom travelled in early spring.

Though local people knew the whereabouts of the Bonnington, members of the UASBC finally found and dove on her in Feb. of 1992. This trip was done with four-wheel drive trucks plowing through bumper-deep snow on a rough road. A reconnaissance survey was done at this time. In early September of 1994 another trip was undertaken by truck, at which time a better map of the site was made in spite of one meter visibility.

In 1995 a photo and video trip was conducted, using Bart Bjorkman’s ROV (remotely operated vehicle). A final mapping trip was made in 1998.

STATUS
The hull lies upright with the bow towards shore and the stern about 8 m lower. The depth is rather ambiguous as the Hugh Keenleyside dam, located near Castlegar approximately 190 km downstream, controls the lake level and there can be a difference of up to 20 m between high water and low water at the dam. In early spring the bow lies in 1-2 m of water but by September it could increase as much as 15 m.

The steel hull appears to be in good shape, as the rust has not penetrated too deeply. The deck is missing over a large part of the hull but seems quite solid where it remains. Some large cleats can be seen on the deck. The main towing post is still on the bow. Just aft of this, the capstan post protrudes through the deck although the capstan head is missing. The steam engines and gears that ran the capstan remain below deck in the bow. In the various compartments there is much piping and miscellaneous steel and wood scattered about.

Though the Bonnington has been stripped down to a bare hull, the Queen of the Southern Interior steamboats is still an impressive sight. She lies in her final resting-place at the end of the secluded Northeast Arm, where the once thriving community of Beaton once stood and is now also just a memory.

ACCESS/DIVING
The wreck is a shore dive provided the road to the Old Beaton Wharf is open. A 4x4 is recommended. Typically the road is either underwater at high water, or buried in snow during the winter. The most convenient access and best visibility is encountered in late March to early April. The Northeast Arm often freezes during the winter and water depth increases throughout the summer, therefore a late March to early April trip provides the most convenient access and best visibility.

Boat access is possible from Galena Bay in the spring before the road opens. At this time of year the bow of the Bonnington lies in 1-2 m of water with the stern in 7 m. These depths will increase by 15 m in high water.

CONCLUSIONS
The Bonnington is a giant, probably the largest freshwater wreck in western Canada and a magnificent sight in early spring. The hull is beautifully intact and is an easy shore dive.