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.