Kootenay Lake, British Columbia, Canada 110M (360') wreck dive

[nadwidny]

Between August 28 and September 2, a team of experienced scuba divers re-located and dove on the remains of the 25m (84 ft) sternwheeler “City of Ainsworth” in Kootenay Lake, BC. The City of Ainsworth was lost during stormy conditions on November 29, 1898. Its’ whereabouts were unknown until 1990 when it was discovered at a depth of 110 m (360 ft) after intensive searching through combined efforts of several government and public organizations. In 1997 two divers conducted two dives on it, which at the time were the deepest scuba dives on a wreck in Canada.


Over the past week utilising advanced techniques, which included close circuit rebreathers, and a breathing gas mixture of 10 percent oxygen and 70 percent helium, divers Brian Nadwidny, Johnny Ryan, Glenn Farquhar, and Alan Drake were able to put 2 divers at a time on 3 occasions. Surface support was supplied by John McCuaig, Terina Hancock and Cathie McCuaig. With only 10 minutes allowed on the bottom the time to take pictures and video was limited however the footage showed there has been a lot of collapse over the years. Average dive time was 2 and a half hours

 

[Jared0425]

Between August 28 and September 2, a team of experienced scuba divers re-located and dove on the remains of the 25m (84 ft) sternwheeler “City of Ainsworth” in Kootenay Lake, BC. The City of Ainsworth was lost during stormy conditions on November 29, 1898. Its’ whereabouts were unknown until 1990 when it was discovered at a depth of 110 m (360 ft) after intensive searching through combined efforts of several government and public organizations. In 1997 two divers conducted two dives on it, which at the time were the deepest scuba dives on a wreck in Canada.


Over the past week utilising advanced techniques, which included close circuit rebreathers, and a breathing gas mixture of 10 percent oxygen and 70 percent helium, divers Brian Nadwidny, Johnny Ryan, Glenn Farquhar, and Alan Drake were able to put 2 divers at a time on 3 occasions. Surface support was supplied by John McCuaig, Terina Hancock and Cathie McCuaig. With only 10 minutes allowed on the bottom the time to take pictures and video was limited however the footage showed there has been a lot of collapse over the years. Average dive time was 2 and a half hours

Hard core man. Is there a picture of the vessel when she was afloat? Are there cabins still standing or where they blown off when she sank?

 

[nadwidny]

Hard core man. Is there a picture of the vessel when she was afloat? Are there cabins still standing or where they blown off when she sank?

There are a few pictures around when it was operating. This is the wikipedia entry with a picture from 1894. Hog posts and hog chains were installed sometime after this and before the sinking to stabilise the hull.

City of Ainsworth (paddle steamer) - Wikipedia

Nothing is still standing except the port side main deck walls. Everything else has collapsed down. People initially thought that the wheelhouse and upper deck fell off when it slid down the slope but our footage shows that it is all still there, just fallen down.