Wreck Photos sought for AGM...

In an effort to remind our members what a rich variety of wrecks we enjoy in and around Kingston, it's planned to stage a photographic exhibition at the AGM. This will be open to the public after the event.

Please submit your best pictures, in the highest resolution possible, to me (mike.hill@mac.com) as soon as possible. We're imposing a limit of three pictures per person to give everyone a chance to have their work seen.

All images displayed will be fully credited and their copyright maintained. Post processed pictures will be accepted.

Mike Hill
President, Preserve Our Wrecks

Guenter's Pictures now online..

Members may be interested to see some images of Guenter's wreck taken late last month. They're on our Flickr site, which can be accessed from this page - see the links below right.

If this wreck interests you, it's well worth reading a relatively accurate account of its situation in an article from the Kingston Whig Standard dated December 1st. Click here to read the piece.

AGM Date Confirmed...

The date set for POW's Annual General Meeting some time ago is confirmed as Saturday, January 24th, 2009. It will take place in the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston, beginning at 2 pm.

There will be an opportunity before the meeting - at 1:30 pm - for members who have not had a chance to pay their annual subscriptions to do so. Remember - only current members have voting rights at the AGM.

This meeting is one to attend - the coming year should be a busy and exciting one for POW - make sure you're a part of it...

War of 1812 Shipwreck Booklet Available...

The book launch for the new publication prepared by Jonathan Moore for the series sponsored by the Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation took place in Kingston yesterday. Jonathan gave an excellent, richly illustrated presentation on the War of 1812 Shipwrecks in Kingston, on which he is a leading authority. His new book (ISBN: 978-0-9783359-2-2) was available for sale at C$ 7-95. The 30 page soft-cover work has many wonderful images that expand understanding of Kingston's local shipwrecks of the period concerned.

Copies of the book will be available from CARF (call 613 542 3483) at 611 Princess Street, Kingston, and probably also the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at 55 Ontario Street.

Guide to the Stacked Hulls online...

POW is pleased to announce that a downloadable guide to finding and visiting the popular Stacked Hulls dive site in Kingston is now available on our website. Click here to download the guide. If you plan to visit the site after using the guide, do please pay close attention to the Cautionary Notes included in it.

Talk on the War of 1812 Wrecks ...

Jonathan Moore, a well-known author on the topic and member of Parks Canada's Underwater Archaeology Service, will be speaking at the Marine Museum in Kingston on Sunday, November 30th at 2 pm to launch his new book on "Shipwrecks from the War of 1812 at Kingston: A Look Beneath the Waves" 

This should be an interesting talk for anyone interested in the wrecks of the period -

Fall Newsletter out now...

The Fall edition of the POW Newsletter is out now. Download it from our website and enjoy reading about issues that interest local divers. There's a mystery structure to test your theories on and a major interview with Warren Lo, who takes superb photographs of local wrecks. He's been good enough to share some tips with our readers. Be sure and check a copy out soon - and then circulate it to all your diving friends..

Interesting Structures in Kingston Waters...

I had the opportunity on November 6th to dive on a couple of major structures that lie along the pipeline that served the pumphouse near the Marine Museum in Kingston. One of these, a massive wooden crib (previously noted, I think, earlier this year, by Tom Rutledge and fellow divers) is difficult to attribute. I'll place some pics of that in a while and bets on what purpose it served can be laid. The second structure, which staff at the Pumphouse had actually asked for imagery of, is the 'tower' serving (to protect / support ?) the intake pipe for the building.

Here are a few pictures of the structure and intake pipe. An interesting site - it's fascinating to imagine the engineering involved in putting this in place at the time it was constructed. By the way, for the fishermen out there, these two locations are a haven for Bass.

Buoy removal almost complete...

Some excellent work by volunteers has seen the task of retrieving the buoys from our wrecks almost completed this weekend. Near perfect conditions have certainly helped. Sunshine beamed down all weekend and the wind was generally out of the North.
The following wrecks are no longer marked. Aloha, Comet, Davie, Marsh, Wolfe Islander II, KPH and the Maple Glen. Check our website (link on the right) for an up to date mooring status statement.

Mooring Removal Continues...

The bleak weather of the last week or so has not discouraged our Mooring Director from his pursuit of the remaining mooring buoys placed around the Lake's Canadian waters. Marks have been removed from the Munson, City of Sheboygan, Terry's Tug and the William Jamieson. It's planned to lift most remaining buoys over the coming weekend, ideally on Saturday. If anyone else is in a position to assist with removal of the buoys, they should contact Harold (whose number is on our website) for advice on the work and to keep him in the loop.

Buoy Removal begins...

The Thanksgiving Weekend has seen the first of the changes to our Mooring Status. Buoys or jugs marking the locations of the Frontenac, China, Katie Eccles and the S.M. Douglas have all been removed and the mooring lines dropped.

It is also reported that the bow line on the Wolfe Islander II has been damaged and is unavailable.

If you become aware of other changes - or you wish to advise us of any concerns about the mooring buoys maintained by Preserve Our Wrecks, please use our 'contact us' pages.

Wilderness Battleship...

Last night's lecture by Tim Abel of the Jefferson County Historical Society in New York provided a fascinating glimpse into the extraordinary efforts made over the Winter of 1814 to build warships at Storr's Harbour (near the much better known Sacket's Harbour). His title refers to the challenges of building major warships in, what in those days, was a sparsely populated wilderness territory lacking any industrial base or indigenous labour force. He brought his subject to life with good humoured asides on the ambiguous attitudes of local Americans, who regarded cross-border smuggling, even in wartime, as a reasonable pursuit. For Canadians, and especially Kingstonians, who are often focused on our local naval history, this was a wonderful insight into affairs across the Lake. Many thanks to the Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation for sponsoring this excellent lecture.

A little background to the KGH Wreck...?

Long-time POW member, Rick Neilson passed me an article recently that seems to relate directly to the wreck we've been referring to as the KGH Wreck, off Murney Tower. It dates from August 25th, 1881 and here's the full text:

"OBSTRUCTION REMOVED - Some time ago while the hulk of an old barge, from which hoisting machinery had been taken, was being towed across the harbour, it grounded upon the bar of Point Frederick. The obstruction was not only dangerous but unsightly, and some ill feeling was caused on account of the efforts which were made to have it removed at once. The position of the civic functionaries did not seem to have been properly appreciated, but a plain duty had to be performed, and it appears to have been executed with as little unpleasantness as possible. The old barge has been towed to and sunk off Murney Tower, and will, Capt Gaskin says, be regarded as the commencement of the breakwater which it is proposed to build there."

That there is little or nothing to suggest the presence of a breakwater now, suggests that this structure was never constructed.

Dive 'n Dine a modest success...

This evening's event for Preserve Our Wrecks, featuring a dive outing and on-board barbecue, courtesy of Proteus Diving, brought 14 divers (and a couple of non-divers) out to Treasure Island Marina. The dive portion of the evening was conducted on the Wolfe Islander II - a favourite, and always a site that delivers. Tonight it was absolutely alive with Bass at the stern and on the afterdecks. Despite visibility of only about 20-30 feet, most visitors found the new Yamaha motorbike and both 'gnomes'. Some were even lucky enough to enjoy a sighting of a now rare American Eel.

Moving back to Treasure Island, the barbecue was fired up for delicious hamburgers. The record for consumption, just for interest's sake, was 6 burgers. No prizes for guessing that the consumer was a young sportsman.

All in all, the evening was an opportunity for a good exchange of views between members. Hopefully, the model can be repeated in future.

Wilderness Battleship - Public Lecture - September 30th

Anyone interested in the naval history of Lake Ontario should pencil in September 30th at 7 pm to attend a public lecture in Kingston's Memorial Hall (inside City Hall). The lecture, celebrating the '25th Anniversary Archaeology Public Lecture' series will be given by Timothy J. Abel, Director of the Jefferson County Historical Society in Watertown , New York. The title 'Wildnerness Battleship' will tell the story of Lake Ontario's Forgotten Naval Shipyard.

Admission is FREE...

International interest in our shipwrecks...

I had the pleasure this morning of spending a couple of hours in the company of a reporter from the German radio network ARD. They were interested in Kingston's wonderful wreck diving and its historical context. I was able to take them out on the water and put some of our local landmarks into their proper place against the passage of the centuries. We visited the shallow sites in Deadman Bay and the remains of HMS St Lawrence. These locations make the richness of our legacy clear, but also demonstrate how little really remains to be seen - and how important it is to protect and preserve it. I was able to put recent excitement about wreck 'discoveries' into a more sensible perspective, stressing the need for caution over identifications and the exploitation of rare archaeological remains. Whenever we speak to anyone about our wrecks, particularly the ones of greater historical significance, we should be sure to mention their fragility and the need for care over visiting them.

More photography of the KGH wreck now available

A group from Northern Tech Diver's Collins Bay base visited the KGH wreck yesterday. Tom Rutledge got some excellent shots of the site, which can be viewed on his Flickr Pages. If you haven't been able to see this wreck for yourself yet, they give a great impression of what to expect.

Visit the past - get out and dive the wreck off Kingston General Hospital

A combination of work done by POW members, divers from G.L.U.E. and others has made a visit to the wreck off Kingston General Hospital really accessible to most divers. The picture above was taken today and there's some video taken by Kevin Leblanc on You Tube too. Check out other pics on Flickr too. The great news is that less than a week after a line was laid to the wreck, at least 24 divers have enjoyed this wreck already. What a shame that the City doesn't appreciate the need for access and the provision of basic facilities for divers seeking to enjoy the wrecks that lie at various points along the City's shores. I've heard it said that the City doesn't want to encourage more divers because there isn't the infrastructure to support them - but what comes first - the investment or the divers? Kingston's councillors would do well to look at the facilities provided to divers at sites along the St Lawrence - and reflect on the income these divers bring to local restaurants and other businesses.

Line laid to a wreck offshore from KGH

Following up on an exploratory dive last week, local divers, many of them POW members, tonight placed a line from shore near Kingston General Hospital to a wreck that lies in 60 feet of water, just 20 minutes gentle swim away. The line starts around the 20 foot depth contour and is most easily located by entering the water somewhere near the middle of the car park close to Murney Tower and swimming eastwards along the 20 foot contour until you pick it up. It's bright yellow and leads almost directly south to the bow of the wreck.

The wreck is in very good condition; one of the more intact examples of what is certainly a sailing vessel and probably associated with use on the canal systems. It's almost a hundred feet long and about 24 feet wide. Care should be taken by visiting divers to avoid disturbing and damaging many upright features that have stood the test of time.

The wreck is well known already; it features on local charts, but it has not previously been of great interest, since it lies in the path of frequent boat traffic and didn't have any line to it from shore. For ease of reference, it may be useful (borrowing the example of the KPH wreck) to refer to it as the KGH wreck, unless and until someone can provide a precise identity.

Visibility tonight was about 40 feet on the wreck and the water temperature about 64F.

Plans for a General Meeting...

It is intended to hold a General Meeting for members in Kingston on the evening of Saturday, September 6th. The venue is still to be confirmed, but there will be a barbecue after the brief gathering, which is being arranged to allow members to provide input and feedback to our Board - and get together to share dive stories and ideas about the way ahead. There will be no charge, but those attending are asked to contact me at mike.hill@mac.com to enable planning on food quantities to be completed. Beverages will not be provided. Please bring your own favourite tipple...

Lots of good work going on...

Work to maintain and improve the moorings that give some protection to our local wrecks is often done without fuss and fanfare. But, it is an important activity and one of the cornerstones of our group's constitution. Divers from Collins Bay, actively supported by Northern Tech Diver and Seadeucer Charters, veteran POW members like Rick Neilson and folk from the Dolphin Scuba Club have all been busily contributing to mooring work recently. Their efforts are gratefully acknowledged. Check out the various websites and blogs to keep up with the work in progress.

China Wreck receives a new mooring...

Some more great work by our mooring director, Harold Vandenberg and divers out of Collins Bay has resulted in a new block being placed on the wreck of the China. This was not accomplished easily. Three trips were actually required to locate a suitable block, prepare it for movement and then, finally, shift it across the Lake to the required location. The block selected lay close to the Annie Falconer, so movement was quite a business, taking some 90 minutes of slow motoring to complete. The new block and line lie close to the stern of the China, giving divers who visit a very early view of the vessel's large prop. For those who are registered with the site, there are some excellent pictures, once again from Tom Rutledge, on the Ontario DIving Forum website. Some can also be found on Tom's Flickr page, which has a marvelous catalogue of underwater wreck photographs.

Summer Newsletter now available online...

Fanfares of trumpets and audible sighs of relief from the compilers accompanied the final button press today that sent our Summer Newsletter to the web. Interested parties can download and read it by clicking here and selecting the download option from the first paragraph. The Newsletter has features on the discovery of HMS Ontario, a bio piece on this year's Thibault Award Winner, Barbara Carson and latest mooring news. Hopefully, there will be something for everyone. Now we start the Fall preparation...

Annie Falconer Mooring Improved...

Harold, our Mooring Director, with Tom Rutledge and Mike Hill, made a working visit this morning to the Annie Falconer to place a more permanent, heavy-duty line and POW Buoy on the wreck. These replace the excellent temporary mooring facilities put in place earlier by George and Sue of Ducks Dive. Everything went smoothly with the exchange, giving the divers time to tour the wreck in a leisurely fashion and to conduct a successful search for an abandoned mooring block, which it's hoped we can free from a very firm position in the silt and move for use at the site of the China. The conditions below the surface were excellent; viz of about 60 feet or more (20m) and a bottom temperature of 55F (13C). Topsides, the Lake was quite lumpy, with a breezy Sou'wester blowing strongly.

18thC British Warship found in Lake Ontario

Reports appearing in the media suggest that the wreck of the long lost HMS Ontario has been discovered off the eponymous Lake's Southern shore. American researchers,using remotely operated vehicles, found the remains of the 22-gun warship, which sank in October 1780. Lying in about 150 metres of water, she is reported to be in an excellent state of preservation. One of the team that discovered her said, "If it wasn't for the zebra mussels, she looks like she only sunk last week". More information about the discovery can be found here. Video taken by the discoverers is also accessible on You Tube.

Check out this Maritime Cultural Project...

Members and anyone else interested in the maritime history of Lake Ontario will find a lot to enjoy in the website run by Ben Ford, a Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University. His online journal is providing insights into work he's doing to trace the cultural development in and around the Lake.

New Wreck .. ?

Ontario DIving Forum today reports the discovery of a probable steamer wreck that may be previously unknown. There's video available on You Tube to check out. Congratulations to all concerned, especially if further research confirms that the wreck is a new one. Our Mooring Director was the skipper on this trip and is likely to adopt the new site as a POW buoyed location. Watch this space for further information.

Kingston Underwater Show to benefit POW

It's a great pleasure to announce that the first annual Kingston Underwater event is going to recognize POW as a beneficiary of any income generated; the other recipient will be the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston. The event will run over the weekend of 9 / 10 August, when the Poker Run boats are in town. This should guarantee considerable interest. Exhibits will be on display in the Memorial Hall within Kingston City Hall and at the Marine Museum. A highlight of the weekend will be an illustrated talk given by David Doubilet, a staff photographer with National Geographic and a World-renowned underwater photographer. News of the event will be published here as details become available. Book your visit now...

Putting the Wreck in its place...

Today's work was largely devoted to making the detailed measurements, in three dimensions, that will allow a model of the wreck to be created on computer. This can then be used to output drawings and diagrams highlighting construction features or providing an overview of the vessel. To augment the datum points established yesterday, each of the upright frames (ribs to the layman) on the Starboard side of the wreck was identified and labelled. Port side remains will be similarly labelled tomorrow. The labeling of the frames considerably helped the teams working to record the various measurements. The line drawing shown was drawn up from a photo mosaic generated on day one.

POW Supports Archaeological Survey in Navy Bay

POW members began work today in support of the marine archaeological survey of a wreck in Navy Bay that will be the subject of a Masters Thesis for Nadine Kopp. Nadine is completing a course at the University of East Carolina that she hopes will secure her a marine archaeology position closer to her Canadian home. Video and still photography was taken to provide an initial record and a reference for future activity. An overall examination was also completed with the aim of determining the most appropriate positions for datum points and to confirm the extent and condition of the site.
A second dive allowed some 'gardening' to be done to clear weed and loose algae and rough sketches to be drawn up. Nadine's intention is to dive daily for the next week, completing her researches by next Sunday, when it is hoped that an electronic positioning survey can be undertaken that will definitively fix the wreck's position and tie it in to existing data on the shoreline. Follow this blog to hear how each day's work goes. For the record, the water today was 54°F (12°C) and visibility was about 20 feet.

Re-Visiting the HMS St Lawrence..

Divers who have seen the remains of the HMS St Lawrence (largest warship ever to sail the Great Lakes - by displacement) might appreciate the opportunity currently to see a model of this splendid warship in the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston. Constructed from scratch in various woods, from original Admiralty plans, in the 1970s, it features cutaway sections allowing internal detail to be examined. This is the way that ship's models of the vessel's period were made.

Salvage Diving - Deep, Dark and Dangerous...

Our attention was recently drawn to a new book on the work of that hardy breed - the salvage diver - in the challenging waters of the American North West. Although, 'Deep, Dark and Dangerous' doesn't discuss the Great Lakes, there's enough that seems to reflect our conditions to make this an interesting and worthwhile book for anyone who enjoys a good dive tale.

Four More Moorings Raised...

Following up on a great day's work on Saturday, Harold Vandenberg and Seadeucer raised four more moorings today. These are the City of Sheboygan, Cornwall, Glendora and Katie Eccles. Once again, excellent underwater photography was obtained by Tom Rutledge. Check out his shots on Ontario Diving. For a full list of the moorings now accessible to charter operators and divers, see our Mooring Status Update on the website.

A big thank you once again to everyone who is contributing to the mooring work. We couldn't do it without you - and you all know who you are...

Four More Moorings Available...

Thanks to Harold, our Mooring Director, and the able team who dove with him today, four more moorings are now up and available to divers and the charter operators who transport them. The four wrecks concerned are: The Maple Glen, Queen Mary, Frontenac and George A. Marsh. If you want to keep up to date with mooring status, don't forget to check out our website, where a Mooring Status Report will be constantly available throughout the season.

Mooring Work Continues...

The mooring work goes on this weekend, with our Mooring Director, Harold Vandenberg taking a group out on Seadeucer. The aim is to tackle some of the closer wrecks in the 'Graveyard' - then head for the City of Sheboygan. A report on the actual moorings raised will follow later today.

SOS Launches Marine Heritage Database..

Word has been received from Save Ontario Shipwrecks that the main portion of their Marine Heritage Database, created in the mid 1990s, is now on line. It consists of about 28,000 records from 25 sources. You can access it through the SOS home page, 3rd button on the left named DATABASE. Originally, this DB was designed to run as a stand-alone resource on a PC as part of a museum exhibit. Photos where ported to the SOS website a few years ago and are under the PHOTO GALLERY.

It has been asked that you note that the database is for cross reference only and intended to provide rapid access to the 25 sources. Any research credit should be referenced to the original source.

A direct link to the database is available here.

Calm Seas make Cool Moorings...

The opportunity was seized today, early on, to get out on the Lake and raise the moorings on three more wrecks. Pat Coyne (Pat's Charters) provided the platform for the work and participated in the diving too. Buoys were placed on the Aloha, George T. Davie and the Comet by mid-day.

Conditions were nearly perfect. Intermittent sunshine beamed down on a very light chop and visibility on all three wrecks was in the order of 80'. The water temperature could be warmer - at 41°F (5°C) it's not designed for long duration diving.

With 6 moorings up already, and the prospect of Harold and Seadeucer raising some more this coming weekend, we are doing particularly well for this early in the season. Many thanks are due to everyone who has participated so far.

First Mooring Work Completed...

The first stab at raising the moorings for the 2008 dive season occurred today. Many thanks are due to Frank Bird and Mike Morrison, owner / operators of Proteus and Pat Coyne of Pat's Charters who made their boats available and volunteered their own time to support POW. Thanks too to the divers, some of whom had traveled from as far afield as Ottawa, who made themselves available to assist.

Conditions were less than ideal, but despite heavy seas and strong winds three of the most popular wrecks were buoyed; the Munson, KPH and the Wolfe Islander 2. The coming days, and calmer weather, should see the number of wrecks readily accessible to divers quickly increase. Do keep an eye on our Mooring Update Statement, reached through our homepage.

Mooring Matters...

Despite the weather's temporary turn for the worse, preparations to raise the various moorings we maintain are under way. Some of our local operators have already launched their boats and are in the process of proving their readiness for the dive season ahead. If all goes to plan, and the winds, waves and weather don't conspire against us, the first mooring work should be undertaken this coming Sunday, May 4th. Look out for information on our progress and check out our mooring update on the website. Feedback on that would be really appreciated, especially as the months pass and the status of moorings, buoys and lines changes.

For a ha'porth of tar...

Although it's not quite a Great Lakes story, this piece on the construction weaknesses of the Titanic is a fascinating glimpse into a piece of maritime history. Who'd have thought that iron bar came in as many as 4 grades ?

SOS AGM in Kingston...

Save Ontario Shipwrecks' AGM was held in Kingston yesterday at the Marine Museum. It was quite well attended and those present heard a great deal about the Organisation's work over the last year. There was also news of intended work in the 2008/9 season. It looks to be another busy year in prospect.

Two presentations were delivered after the AGM. These were by Jonathan Moore, well-known and respected Parks Canada Marine Archaeologist and Joseph Zarzynski, another Marine Achaeologist. Jonathan spoke about the Kingston wrecks and the work of Parks Canada. Joseph described the history of, and work on, the Lost Radeau.

We have a new Web Presence...

It's a matter of particular pride to announce that POW has launched a new website. Click here to visit it and, when you do, be sure to mail the manager and let them know what you think.

Look out for this forthcoming book release...

Everyone who has ever visited the great wreck of the Cornwall will wish to know that a book on the vessel, originally known as the Kingston, is to be published in July. Amazon are taking orders now and you can read their description and details of the book on the link above.

Don't forget the AGM For Save Ontario Shipwrecks..

Save Ontario Shipwrecks, an organisation with the same aims as ourselves - and many shared members - holds its Annual General Meeting this coming Saturday at 1 pm in the Marine Museum, Kingston. Check out the poster on the link to read about the talks that will be featured. If you're a POW member and attending the AGM, please make a point of looking out for your new Board members. We'd love to speak to you and to hear your views about the direction we should take and how to get there.

Changes ahead for Lake Ontario Water Regulation

In a report produced after 5 years of study, the International Joint Commission, a US / Canadian body that oversees shared boundary waters, makes various proposals for change to existing arrangements. The Report is a response to the realisation that agreements made in the 1950s no longer fully accord with today's practical and environmental considerations. Inevitably, any alteration to the system of regulation for the water levels of Lake Ontario will impact on our wrecks. A document outlining the changes can be viewed or downloaded here. The Commission has given the public 90 days to consider and comment on its Report.

'What's Happening in Lake Ontario?"

A talk on the above theme is being given at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes on Sunday, March 30th at 2 pm. The speaker is Colin Lake, Operations Manager for the Ministry of Natural Resources Glenora Fisheries Station. It's likely to address many topics of interest to all of us committed to preservation of our historic wrecks. I'm sure that the Museum staff will be delighted to welcome anyone with an interest in the topic.

Shipwrecks 2008

The Niagara Divers' Association will hold their 14th annual Shipwrecks Symposium in Welland, Ontario on April 5th, 2008. Many POW members are likely to attend and the intention is to raise awareness of our Mission and activities by presenting a display at the event. We hope to provide a brief report on the Symposium on this blog... Watch this space!

Welcome aboard....

This is the first post to what I hope will become an active and informative resource for everyone interested in respecting and protecting the maritime heritage of Kingston, Ontario and neighbouring waters.

As the incoming President of Preserve Our Wrecks, I want to thank everyone who served on last year's Committee. They can all be sure that their efforts are respected and the time and effort that they put into the Organisation is widely recognised. To those who have agreed to continue working with the Executive, a special thank you.

I'm very keen that POW should remain a vital body. To this end, if you're reading this and you're not a member, please get in touch with me to find out more about our group and to consider joining us. If you are already a member and you have strong views about what we should be doing - and when and how - tell me...

If you have news or information that you'd like to share with readers of this blog - let me know and I'll tell you how to do so.

Mike Hill