Shore Dives Adjacent to the Port of Goderich

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hdcruzer

Registered
Messages
18
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Location
Ontario
# of dives
100 - 199
Anyone try any of these? (Source: Shore Dives - Goderich)

1. Wreck site North of Harbour ("The Labour Day Wreck")

5- 7m depth, and 600m offshore

Buoyed with white boat fender.
This is a marker buoy only; do not moor to the line.
Anchor off the site.
(line up the CA flag at Maitland Valley Inlet Marina and the Church spire, and judge the distance from shore approximately where the Marina signs are posted on the stone breakwater.)
This is a shore dive (from the Maitland Inlet Marina, or a boat dive.)

2. This site is currently being surveyed and inventoried by SOS Goderich.

The ship's identity is still unknown.
Please do not disturb or relocate any artifacts.
A site survey is being conducted under license of the Province of Ontario.
The ship appears to have floundered under duress; many tools, much anchor chain and brass fittings remain.
The survey to date is not conclusive but indicates a wooden steam, side-wheeler that was iron reinforced.
The keelson is approximately lm square by 53m long. It would have a beam of approximately 9.6m. There is a debris field trailing approximately .5km NWW.
The site vision drops rapidly in rough weather. Fish life is very plentiful.
Photographic opportunities are abundant.

3. Wreck site off Rotary Beach,

5- 6m depth, and 200m offshore

Buoyed with white boat fender.
This is a marker buoy only; do not moor to the line. Anchor off the site.
Approx. 200 m off the Rotary Beach Arch.
This is a shore dive or boat dive site.
The remains of at least 4 wrecks are at this location, PLUS an abundance of fish life.
From the 1932 Signal Star: "The tug Phillips, after being stripped of her boilers, engine and all metal trimmings, was sent to the 'boneyard' on Tuesday morning. She was beached just below the Sunset Hotel, where the Abercorn, Scobia, Olga, Tecumseth and other vessels have found a last resting place. The Phillips was built in 1882 and last spring, after sinking in the harbor, was raised. Her pilot house was removed and now rests on the north pier."

4. South Breakwall

- swim the base of this structure beginning at South end, 6-7m leading to 8-9m at fog horn.

An interesting dive swim to survey the structure of the breakwalls as laid in 1907-08. The debris field to the West of the two breakwalls has not been surveyed. It is said that the breakwall structures are slowly sinking. (Use CAUTION if diving in the area of the North breakwall, adjacent to the river mouth stone wall: much small boat traffic.
 
My parents live here and its beautiful. I have seen the plaque in the park mentioning wrecks but I have never seen a buoy or known anyone to know where to dive at. One of those listed is 600 meters off shore.

Anyone or anyone know a good guide in the area?

Also, Walt Disneys dad was born in Goderich and one year Walt Disney himself the man came and had a huge parade. It is a historic town with lots of tourist attractions. Lots of cool armaments laying around town you can play in including a huge tank we always walk by. Lots of plaques and info around the town, nice period homes. If you do visit I recommend brunch at the Ben Miller Inn. Crazy beautiful and the food is awesome.

Just a safety notice: Goderich Main Beach and Rotary Beach (same beach) are super busy. Not as busy as Grand Bend to the south, but lots of boats, massive freighters pick up salt right at the beach here. There is a salt mine they line up and fill up. Lots of seadoos, canoes, kayaks etc, The water is freezing freezing cold, rocky rocky beaches and some decent white caps on the wave action. We swim it all the time but haven't gotten enough data to brave a dive out there. I want to get a dry suit first as well. Vis at the beach is non existent. Kincardine to the north 45 minutes has great vis and the Pine River Cheese factory which sells the best flavored cheese curds in South Ontario.

Thornloe Cheese Factory in New Liskeard has the best cheese curds in the North. Quebec to the east beats all cheese curds in Canada.

EDIT: Heres a photo of that tank I mentioned. Very cool. They got stuff like this all over town.
J Turner Goderich Tank 2016.jpg
 
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I have done the Rotary beach wreck a couple times. May try the others on a future visit to the beach.

Anyway you can mark estimates on a google map jpeg? I am going Saturday&Sunday and would love to dive these sites. I just have no clue where to go and its no small beach, you know that.
 
Dean - thanks for the information on access for Rotary Beach. I'm not too far away so I was hoping to find these this summer.

SOS does have some information about locations on their buoy site list (Buoy Site List | Save Ontario Shipwrecks) but nothing about shore access.

I will do up a little summary if I can find these.
 
Was going to snorkel the Goderich shore with this research but swimming was 'banned' due to e. coli. That did not stop several locals however I am very prone to ear infections as well I only had snorkel gear, no hoodies and no ear drops. I did see a dive flag out there, not a buoy. Here are some pics I took that gives a breif overview of the Goderich Ship Wreck Bone Yard. I will be back in a few weeks with my dive gear, I think we can find this quite easy.
Goderich Scuba Shore Scouting J Turner 2016 (3).jpg


Goderich Scuba Shore Scouting J Turner 2016 (4).jpg


Goderich Scuba Shore Scouting J Turner 2016 (1).jpg


Pointing to this photo below, the boneyard is supposed to lay 200 meters from this archway. You can see a sailboat way in the distance. I would gauge it around 400-500 meters. So almost in between these two.
Goderich Scuba Shore Scouting J Turner 2016 (2).jpg
 
If you were there Sunday the dive flag was me. Visibility was minimal though so we didn't find the boneyard (first time I had to hold hands with my buddy so we didn't loose each other).
 
If you were there Sunday the dive flag was me. Visibility was minimal though so we didn't find the boneyard (first time I had to hold hands with my buddy so we didn't loose each other).

I was there Sunday about 2 pm to 2:30 ish.

Will let you know next time Im in the area.
 
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