|
|
|
|
|
As I sit in my truck outside of Harry's condo in Milford, I wonder if we will find a Dunkin Donuts shop open before we hit the Mass Pike. It's 4:30 am and man, do I need a coffee. Leaving for Canada this early sounded like a good idea while we were discussing doing so at a more sane hour. Our third "accomplice", Jan, just pulled into the parking lot and parked beside me. Time to load the gear in his truck and go in and wake Harry if needed. Then I hear his familiar voice. Like three grave diggers toiling in the blackness of a moonless night, we loaded up Jan's truck with half a ton of scuba gear and a few handfuls of clothing and set out on our six hour trek to the St Lawrence river. We would be meeting the last of our quartet, Karen, in upstate New York around noon time. |
||
|
Our trip and border crossing were uneventful, and before long we were checking in at Caigers Resort. Our home for the next few days. Even with the threat of rain we were assured that we would dive. We've been told that, unlike with ocean diving, seldom do dives ever get "blown out" in the St Lawrence river. As Capt. Larry of Thousand Island Pleasure Diving would tell us later; "there's always somewhere we can dive"! So we didn't worry too much about the next day's weather when we went to bed. |
||
|
Our first morning in Canada dawned dreary at best, with overcast skies, a raw breeze and a threat of more rain. The boat that we would be boarding was stationed at the dock outside of the resort and was not slated to leave until 9 am or so which gave us plenty of time for a hearty breakfast at the waterfront restaurant. After filling up on eggs, pancakes and plenty of coffee we headed back to grab our gear and load the boat. Some of the other divers that we would be sharing the vessel with on this day had already stowed their gear and were squared away nicely when we boarded. |
||
 After a safety briefing and introductions with the other group of divers we made ready to shove off. We first had to check in with the U.S. Customs office to clear back into the States to dive a site on the U.S. side of the river. On this day as well as the next, we would be sharing the boat with a very experienced and accomplished group of wreckers from New Jersey. It was clear by simply observing how they stowed their gear that they had their act together and that we were in good company. And they were a friendly bunch as well! |
||
|
After clearing through Customs we set out for the wreck of the Keystorm. *"The Keystorm is the region's premier wreck. This 256' x 43', 2300 ton steamer was built in Wellsand, England. Carrying 2230 tons of bituminous coal from Genesee Dock at Charlotte, NY and under the command of Capt. L Daigualt, she was 45 minutes past Alexandria Bay in dense fog on October 12, 1912 when she crossed over Outer Scow Island Shoal and in minutes, was on bottom without fatalities. The Keystorm now lays on her starboard side, bow in 20' and stern in 115' and was declared unsalvageable. Double wrappings of 4" cable at 20' intervals remain as evidence of salvage attempts." - *Copied from 1000-Islands .com |
||
|
This was a great dive! If it wasn't for the lack of colors that is typical of fresh water diving, one could easily believe that they are diving a "tourist" wreck in the Caribbean. A large intact wreck with numerous openings, cavernous interior spaces, and ambient light practically throughout the whole interior - what's not to like? The only complaint we had was that we only did one dive on her. The next dive was to be a drift dive along a rock wall at the edge of a channel. Even though it wasn't a wreck dive, it was well worth doing. Everyone should experience, at least once during a trip to the river, the rush of riding the current and being being whisked along rocky walls and formations under water. |
||
|
|
||
|
*"Built
in 1861, the Vickory sunk on August 17, 1889. The wooden three masted
schooner struck a rock while entering the American Narrows while hauling
61,000 bushels of wheat to the Wisers Distillery at Prescott, Ontario. Returning to the deck you can proceed downstream past the holds that beckon, past the mast stump to the stern and on over, dropping along side the rudder at 110'. Normally divers see a school or two of fish in the safety of the Victory's hull and rudder. The two masts lie nearby and continue off into the channel to 155'. With a quick current, it is not advisable to visit here. Returning to the deck and proceeding upstream presents the opportunity to penetrate the holds. You will marvel at the centerboard and the cavernous holds the held her cargo. Returning to the bow area allows a pleasant departure reversing up the decent line and returning to the buoy anchor." *Copied from 1000-Islands .com |
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
We all agreed that it was certainly a successful and fun trip. Intact wrecks, clean fresh water, and calm surface conditions, make this area nearly a Wreck-Diver's paradise. We are already looking forward to, and planning our return to the river next year. |
||
|
Scenes from the St Lawrence and a dive on the Kingshorn wreck |
||
|
© 2006 to Present, Secret Squirrel Divers Inc. All Rights Reserved |
||
That
narrative is exactly the way I did my dive and is fairly accurate with
its description of the wreck. I say FAIRLY, because what it fails to
mention is the swift current that one has to negotiate against - read:
pulling yourself along the bottom from rock to rock - to get to the
wreck. however, once one manages to drop over the edge of the channel
and onto to the wreck then the current is easily managed. The up side to
the boat mooring down current of the wreck is that it's an easy swim
back to the boat. It is a must do dive, even with the current. To
explore a sunken, 145 year old, intact, wooden hulled ship in clean
fresh water is truly a wreck divers dream, and not to be missed