Washington State Department of Ecology

SS Catala Shipwreck Photo Timeline

Click on the images to see an enlarged view.

229 ft ship built in Scotland.
Passenger service in British Columbia; owned & operated by Union Steamship Company. Known as the “Logger’s Liner”

Taken out of service in British Columbia.

Sold for scraping in British Columbia.

Purchased & refitted and towed to Seattle as floating hotel for World’s Fair.

Catala towed to Ocean Shores & operated as charter fishing base, hotel and restaurant.

Continued operation as charter fishing base & entertainment center.

Severe storm with 70+ mph wind & 9 foot swell causes scour & fill around Catala; listed & flooded when settled at low tide.

Numerous attempts to re-float the Catala.

Catala becomes local attraction as the "tilting ship"

Catala sold for salvage.

Catala sold again for salvage.

US Army Corps of Engineers builds road to end of Damon Point. Purpose is to load barges for rebuilding of North Jetty.

Catala sold a third time for salvage.

Stacks and cabin decks to cut off to sand line and sold for scrap.

Remainder of ship buried with sand and abandoned.

Catala begins to reappear from sand following severe storm in February.

Oil in hull reported to Ecology & US Coast Guard.

Ecology surveys ship; confirms heavy oil in at least 3 tanks. Looks at options for removal of oil.

Catala Oil Remediation Project, first season of work to remove oil.

Work on Catala Oil Remediation Project is suspended for winter

Season 2 of Catala Oil Remediation Project. Remaining oil contaminated sand & tank to be cleaned; ship cut up and removed; site restored