Once you arrive, you can park your car in the parking lot. Try to park on the left side, away from the hotel. Once you get out of the car, walk towards the ship and you will find a path next to the parking lot that will lead you to some beautiful views of the ship!

"The Abandoned Ship," "The Ghost Ship," and "The Jordan Pirate Ship" are all names that this shipwreck has been called throughout the years. This prominent landmark is very noticeable when travelling along the QEW, welcoming travellers to the Niagara region.

It was originally named "Le Progress," and was built as a ferry in Lauzon, Quebec in 1914. In 1991, the ship was transformed into a replica of one of the ships that Jacques Cartier used when he first travelled to Canada in 1535, and renamed "La Grande Hermine." The owner aspired to turn the ship into a floating restaurant or casino, and moved it from its harbour in Montreal to Jordan Harbour in 1997. Unfortunately, the owner died before he could see his vision come true, and La Grande Hermine has stayed in Jordan ever since. In 2003, the ship was a victim of arson, which burned away most of its exterior wooden cladding, added to its rustic appearance and making tourists and locals alike curious about its odd history.

The 2003 arson incident was not the only time that people have gotten aboard. You can see graffiti on the walls inside the ship, including a large pink bird and some blue writing. In the summertime, a mysterious citizen will often hang flags from the mast of the ship. In the past, a pirate ship flag, a smiley face flag, and a pride flag have all been seen.

This street view of the ship shows the site from the North Service Road after exiting the QEW. Pan left and right to see the ship from different angles, or scroll down this page to see a view of the ship from the other side of the highway, on the QEW Niagara.

To access this site, you can park in a free parking lot between the ship and the Beacon Harbourside Resort on the North Service Road. There is a small path on the west side of the lot that leads you to some amazing views of the ship, as well as a to small beach and some large rocks where people often fish.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada have expressed concern that the masts of the vessel pose a safety and environmental risk. In March of 2021, a technical assessment of the ship determined that the deteriorated condition of the shipwreck carried a large risk of collapse.

The removal of the masts - and eventually, of the entire ship - is a distinct possibility, unless the pleas of the Town of Lincoln Council are heeded. In November 2021, Council unanimously passed a motion asking the Canadian Coast Guard to "...save the three masts of La Grande Hermine ship currently residing in Jordan Harbour. Through this motion, Council recognizes this landmark as a tourist attraction in Lincoln and requests that the Canadian Coast Guard redirect the money currently slated for removing the masts towards making the masts and ship safe for future visitors to visually enjoy."

Today, the surrounding paths are maintained by the Town of Lincoln. The parking lot is owned by the Ramada by Wyndham Jordan/Beacon Harbourside Resort. In the summer months, there is an outdoor water park called Pirate Ship Cove that shares the parking lot, where visitors can play on inflatable waterslides and in the lake.

Visit the website of the City of Lincoln!

Visit the website of the Ramada by Wyndham Jordan/Beacon Harbourside Resort!

Visit the website of Pirate Ship Cove!

Hess, Christine. "That Abandoned Ship into Niagara: 'La Grande Hermine.'" Clifton Hill Blog, Jan. 2021, https://www.cliftonhill.com/falls_blog/abandoned-ship-niagara-la-grande-hermine/.

Guidetags - Niagara Greenbelt. 2015. La Grande Hermine. https://www.guidetags.com/guidetags/explore/niagara-greenbelt/historic-heritage-sites/monuments/412-grande-hermine

Town of Lincoln. 2021. Media Release - Town of Lincoln requests Canadian Coast Guard to save masts of La Grande Hermine. https://lincoln.ca/news/2021/11/media-release-town-lincoln-requests-canadian-coast-guard-save-masts-la-grande-hermine