Empress of Ireland

Does anyone have info on diving the Empress. I would like to go down east this July and can't really find any good sites with diving experience, dive charters etc. Lots of info around on the wreck and it's history but no good dive charter web sites.

Try here then use the "return to home page button".

The Empress is on my "maybe someday after lots more training list"

Oh...... and Welcome to the boards!!

Thanks for your welcome and reply. I quess not too many have ventured down to the lower St. Lawrence for diving. Most other places are loaded with dive operators web sites, charter info. but not down there. Any way we'll keep looking and try to make some plans.

We dove the Empress of Ireland last September(2000)
email me at miked@nexicom.net for contact info
for B&B in St Luce Que, and charter info.

Mike D

I also plan to dive the Empress after another year or two of experience & training. The wreck is about a 3 hours drive from my hometown and I drive by that area frequently.

Last time through, I stopped at the maritime museum there which has a good display on the Empress ships and has lots of stuff pulled from the wreck. It served to fuel my interest in diving it....

I would be interested to hear how any dives have gone on it. Is the current only at the surface, what's the descent like, what's viz like etc...?

Cheers.

My partner and I dove the Empress of Ireland last Sept 2001
Our max depths were 135 ft 1st dive and 145 ft 2nd dive.
We dove trimix since I get narc'd below 125 ft.
The visibility was terrible, 6-8 feet, we made no attempt to penetrate the wreck. Current on the wreck is mild and easily swimable, depending on the tide.

The down line is attached to a porthole at 85 feet about 1/3 theway back (where the superstructure would start). The super structure is completely gone. The decks are intact. Our first dive was to the bow section, over the letters down the keel to mid ships, then back up to the rail and forward to the down line.
Bottom time 25 minutes, 35 minutes decompression.

2nd dive down the line, down the deck to the gravel, (145 feet) then worked our way towards the stern, turn point at 15 minutes, ascended up the deck to the rail at 85 feet, followed it forward to the down line at 25 minutes. About 20-30 feet aft of the down line is a large hole, in the side hull, this was blown for salvage purposed. Access into the inner forward kitchen compartments can be made from here. we made a quick look inside the hole, but visibility was poor and our time limit prevented further exploration.

We dove with 50 and 75 watt cannister lights, twin 98's trimix back gas and an 80 aluminum with EAN 50 decogas, and Argon suit gas, water temp. is about 4°C

Mike D

Thanks mddolson,

This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. A great brief overview of your dives! Thanks a million. Although you didn't say how much you liked or disliked it...

Sorry for the delay in replying, I been busy for last few days.

I/we enjoyed the dives very much. Anytime I get to dive a new to me wreck, is a high. I wish we had more time on her, but time and money are the limiting factors.
I was disappointed in the visibility, but I plan to diver her again, this time with penitration. This year is too busy so maybe next year.

Attached is an artists painting of the bow section of the Empress.
This is accurate with regards to scale, layout and lighting.

Mike

Does anyone have actual diving pics of the Empress?

Guess I have answered my own guestion. Just got back from a great trip to Rimouski and 4 days of diving on the Empress. Vis was poor for 2 days, at 10 feet you lose sight of your buddy and his light to good at 20-50 feet. In the harbour they are getting the Canadian war ship Nipigon ready to sink as a dive site so the area will be thick with divers next year. If anyone wants info on the site and it's operators e-mail me at pbusse@sympatico.ca The wreck is a very advanced dive with cold water[dry suit] low vis, current, and a good sense of underwater navigation. Weather can change by the hour and what starts out as a terrible day can turn into the best day. On Thursday night 4 of our group did a night dive to the Empress, reportedly the first ever, and had a great dive with a full moon and lots of efforece in the water. Kick my but for not going. Any questons just ask! I have too much info to post all at once and have a lot of info to share.