Ontario Wrecks

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wetman

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Ok, so i've been trying to do as many wrecks as possible this summer (just started diving in june).

These are the ones i've been on (most a few times), but I'd like some opinions on others to see so i can start prioritizing for next year:

Kingston/Brockville area:

  1. Keystorm
  2. Lillie Parsons
  3. Munson
  4. Davie
  5. Kinghorn
  6. Vickory
  7. WOlfe Islander II
    [/list=1]

    Tobermory:
    1. Niagra II
    2. Wetmore
    3. Tugs
    4. (got rained out on the Arabia but i was there in spirit)
      [/list=1]

      Have plans to do at the very least the Waome and City of Sheboygan before the year is through.

      Thanks for any opinions

      steve
 
Steve, you mentioned you were "rained out" on the Arabia. Well, that might not be such a bad thing. As someone who doesn't have a lot of dive experience, you might want to wait on that wreck. It's a real "psych" dive that requires a lot of experience.

There are lots of other wrecks to to to in Toby like the King. Why not check out Cris Kohl's "Dive Ontario" book?

Also, here's a link to Fathom Five Marine Park:

Fathom Five

Have fun,

~SubMariner~
 
I haven't dove the Arabia yet, but based on some research I have done, it is a wreck to be "wreckened" with (get it?...wreckened ... reckoned) :rolleyes: . According to something I dug up, the Arabia has had at least 13 diving deaths.

I have been involved with a Great Lakes guy (Brandon Baillod) to put together a list of wrecks and diving fatalities for his web site (http://www.execpc.com/~bbaillod/links.html). It's not exactly formal, but the information is fairly accurate and is the only known list of its kind (at least on the web). We are hoping to bring awareness to potentially dangerous wrecks to unsuspecting divers.

For those who may be interested, here's the link of Brandon's work in progress:

http://www.baillod.com/study/fatalities.html

Take care.

Mike

PS. If anyone here has anything to add to this list of shipwreck fatalities, please e-mail me or Brandon Baillod.
 
Lost Yooper: as Alf used to say "you SLAY me" :D

Steve: You're not the first one to say that Cris's Volume I is hard to find these days. The edition we have (signed by Cris himself, I'm proud to brag) indicates it was published in 1990. You may have to resort to talking to some local dive shops in ON to find a copy or at least get a lead on where to go.

Here is info about the Arabia straight from Cris's 1990 book (page 189):

Location: Off Echo Island. Skill Level :Advanced. Depth: 117' (35.1 metres). Visibility: 81-12' (2.4-3.6 metres). Background: the 309 ton barque, Arabia, bound from Chicago to Midland ON with 200,000 bushels of corn, began taking on water during heavy seas on Oct 4, 1884. After hours of pumping, the weary crew, realizing the hopelessness of the situation, abandoned ship in their yawlboat. The vessel sank in deep water off Echo Island. This three-masted ship, build by George Thurston at Kingston, ON in 1853, measured 131' (39.3 metres) in length, 26' (7.8 metres) in beam, and 12' (3.6) metres in draft. Description: this wreck is in pristine condition. The mostly-intact hull, lying north to south, has two mooring buoys positioned about 30' (9 metres) to the east. The bow is impressive with its bowsprit, windlass, anchors, catheads, and bilge pump. Deadeyes and pulleys decorate the railings. The afterdeck, separated from the hull, rests against the starboard quarter. The ship's wheel and steering mechanism are located alongside the afterdeck. The three masts have all collapsed and lie along side the wreck.Hazards: this is a deep, cold, low visibility site for very experienced divers only. Give this site all the preparation and experience it demands: at least 12 scuba divers have died there over the past 20 years

This is NOT a wreck penetration dive, BTW!

Some local divers claim that the actual position of the wreck was unknown for many years because it kept shifting until the buoyant characterists of its cargo dissipated. Fishermen kept tangling their nets on her and moved her a few times. Or so the story goes. :wink:

As for experience... just keep diving in those lovely cold, low vis Canuck waters and it will come. Doing a lot of different kinds of dives in a variety of conditions will also make you a better diver. The key is being comfortable with your abilities and equipment.

You might want to consider taking a wreck diving course. It will help you learn some important considerations for diving on wrecks such as anti-silting techniques, proper use of a reel, etc. Something to think about???

Anyways, it sounds like you are on your way to becoming a good diver. Take your time & enjoy!

~SubMariner~
 
Look, I love wrecks. Love, love, love 'em.

Here is what I know about the Arabia:

1) it is cold - near freezing at times
2) it is deep - 120'
3) there is little to no viz
4) there is a significant current
5) it is in an exposed dive site

It is recommended for "teams of advanced divers" I don't think that they mean AOW

I have not dived on the Arabia - YET. Those who I respect and have dived her, tell me that ther is no room for macho on that dive.

Of course, after I finish my wreck spec this weekend .......
(Only joking - probably around 50-60 dives and with a really good dive team, then.....maybe)

Cris' book was pulished in 90, expanded and republished in 95. I believe that it is out of print, buthave heard rumours of a new one coming out soon!
 
Ontario:

I think we have that 2nd book buy Cris. It's called "Dive Ontario Two" and was published in '94.

Please let me know if his new book actually materializes.. I'd love to get it! :)

BTW, Pearce has dove the Arabia twice, which he describes as "one time too many". Dark, cold, deep, currents... everything you talked about. And this is a man who has about 4,000 dives to his credit world wide (most of it in Canadian waters).

Quite the rep it has, eh?!

~SubMariner~
 
Originally posted by SubMariner
... You're not the first one to say that Cris's Volume I is hard to find these days. The edition we have (signed by Cris himself, I'm proud to brag) indicates it was published in 1990. You may have to resort to talking to some local dive shops in ON to find a copy or at least get a lead on where to go....

I'm proud to say that I have three of Kohl's books -- all autographed by the author. A while back I did see the books in some of the local dive shops here - if you want I can look, just let me know.
 
THE ABOVE MENTIONED BOOKS ARE GREAT REFERENCE,BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME GREAT WEB SITES SUCH AS www.gregsdivepage.net and preserve our shipwrecks also has good info on their web pages. THE EASTCLIFFE HALL DOWN NEAR CORNWALL ONT. IS A GOOD WRECK AS IS THE KINGSHORN NEAR ROCKPORT, THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF GOOD WRECKS IN EASTERN ONTARIO JUST CHECK ON THE INTERNET.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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