New DDE to be scuttled in Kingston

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Location
Toronto, Ontario, Great White North
Talked to some folks in the Kingston Ecnomic Development group today and got some information on the Canadian Destroyer that is being planned to become a new dive site in Kingston.

She is the HMCS Gatineau (DDE 236) - Restigouche Class There have been two Gatineaus who served under Canadian colours One was a WW2 destroyer ( I thought that she was the one, she was not - wrong again). It is the more modern one.

Here are the facts on the ship



Her call sign was CGWF

Laid down in Apr 1953 (Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Lauzon PQ)
Launched in June 1957
Commissioned on 17 Feb 1959
Refitted (Improved Restigouche) Apr 1971
Refitted (Destroyer Life Extension) Nov 1982
Decommissioned on 24 May 1996

Ships Compliment was 12 Officers 237 Crew
She is 370 ft long (beam) by 42 ft wide (Breadth ) and drew 2,300 tonnes in 14 ft of water

She could run 28 Knots when her twin steam turbines generated 30,000 hp

Carried fore 2X3" gun mount, Homing torpedoes , Limbo, and ASROC

Some of her deployments - Part of USS Ranger's Carrier Battle Group in 1979; UN Bosnia in 92, UN Embargo of Haiti in 93

She is currently in Halifax NS and will have to be towed up the St. Lawrence. - which probably won't happen before freeze up. Then 9 months of cleaning - Volunteers are welcome and required. Butch and I am in. (Butch has been volunteered to drill the last hole by me :D)

Then the big day - soon to be announced. The full story is to be published as an exclusive in the Kington paper this weekend : http://www.kingstonwhigstandard.com/
 
hip hip hooray -- and I've got the charter already reserved!
 
Just curious -- are these things scuttled in the St. Lawrence mainly for diving enjoyment...? I assume there isn't a "fresh water artificial reef" movement out there......
 
this destroyer is to be sunk in lake ontario, but there is an association called s.a.r.a. which is st. lawerence artificial reef association.
 
The primary reason for the wreck is to promote a new dive site for Kingston. (Hence the support from the Economic Development people in Kingston). The other reasons normally given are to relieve diver pressure on the "historic" wrecks and to provide a fish habitat.
 
That is too cool! I wish we had some cool stuff like that to dive to here in Texas. Actually when I was 19 I had a 1963 Buick Electra Limited. It was a beastie of a car, 455 engine... and could seat like 12 or so....

I think that would have been a great addition to one of the local dive areas. But alas I sold it before it fell apart on the road and it probably resides in a heap somewhere in a junkyard.

Reminds me of the Song "Old Yellow Car" by Dan seals I think....

Only Difference was it was blue and much larger!
 
Originally posted by syruss32
That is too cool! I wish we had some cool stuff like that to dive to here in Texas. ...

You and the SO are welcome to join the gang for the planed dive --- last weekend of September.
 
We'll be there too, fer sur. Anyone heard how deep they'll put? It wouldn't surprise me if they put it fairly deep to keep it out of reach of those who aren't equiped to go inside.

In the Keweenaw (UP of Michigan), we hava a coast guard buoy tender that was sunk puposely after it ran aground. They sunk it in 110' of water.

Doesn't matter to me, I'll get down there someday.

Mike
 
TM works at an autowrecker, convince him that he should park a few of those babies in the local dive sites, all you need is a big hill, and neutral.....
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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