Description of Historic Place

The MV Vanlene was an 8354-ton, 473-foot steel motor vessel that ran aground on a reef off Austin Island in Barkley Sound, British Columbia. It lies broken in 2 sections on the reef at depths ranging between 9 and 40 meters. The flattened hull plates and fittings of the bow section are oriented to the shallower water while the more intact stern with 2 cranes is positioned deeper.

Heritage wrecks in British Columbia are protected by provincial and federal legislation. It is illegal to damage, alter or remove a heritage object from a heritage wreck except under authorization.

Heritage Value

The MV Vanlene is valued for its social-cultural significance. This shipwreck is important to west coast shipwreck lore, highlighting the folly of its grounding, the scavenging by locals and the power of the sea. The vessel had no working radar or depth sounder when it ran aground on March 14, 1972, essentially being navigated by compass. Loaded with 300 Dodge Colt cars in the hold, many locals scavenged the vehicles that weren't recovered from the wreck. It remained stranded on the reef for several years until winter storms broke it apart and it sank beneath the surface.

This site is also valued as a very popular and attractive recreational dive site.

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements of the MV Vanlene include its:

- Bow section with hull plates and fittings
- Stern section with 2 cranes
- The orientation of the site components to each other