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The Thousand Islands is truly one of the most uniquely beautiful regions of the Great Lakes. This quaint area of the St. Lawrence River is near the eastern end of Lake Ontario, where the lake empties into the river. The Thousand Islands offers much to see and do both above and below the water. The region is the perfect place to combine a family vacation with a dive trip. Non-divers will enjoy boat tours through the islands, as well as a tour of Boldt Castle, an actual castle on Heart Island. Other topside attractions include outdoor activities at St. Lawrence Islands National Park, a scenic drive along the 1000 Islands Parkway and shopping and dining in the towns of Ganonoque, Rockport and Brockville. For the Great Lakes scuba diver, the 1000 Islands is a pleasant change of pace. The water in the St. Lawrence River is actually warm! Temperatures in the mid-70's are the norm during the summer months. As if that's not enough, there is also no thermocline in the river; the water is warm from the surface to the bottom. The river is also largely protected from wind, meaning the largest wave you are likely to see is the wake from another boat. No more bumpy boat rides to and from the dive site or sitting on a rolling boat while moored to the wreck. the two main types of diving in the St. Lawrence are wreck diving and drift diving. There are too many wrecks to discuss in detail, but here are a few of my favorites. |
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The Keystorm was a 250' steel steamer built in England in 1910. She was only two years old when she ran aground in dense fog October 26, 1912. Her crew escaped and she lay stranded on the shoal for five hours at which time she slid off the shoal into deeper water. Today, the Keystorm is one of the most popular dives in the area. Still lying on the shoal that sank her, the Keystorm offers a variety of dive profiles. Her bow lies in only 25' of water, with the deepest part of her stern in 115'. Divers can explore her bow area and the remains of her pilothouse. Moving deeper, one passes the cargo holds and her masts. The engine room, after cabin, and propeller are at the deepest part of the wreck. Upon reaching the this point, the diver can turn around and let the current assist him/her back towards the bow and shallower water. Click here to view Save Ontario Shipwrecks' excellent diagram of the Keystorm.
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The Kingshorn, also known as the Rockport Wreck, is a surprisingly nice little wreck only a few hundred yards from shore. Indeed, some divers do this wreck as a shore dive, but I prefer using a boat. There is some lingering doubt that as to the identity of the wreck, but most agree that it is indeed the Kingshorn. She was one of seven barges carrying wheat being towed by the tug Hiram A. Walker on April 27, 1897. A storm sank three of the seven barges, including the Kingshorn. The Kingshorn sits in about 90' of water and the hull is intact. The windlass is still on the bow and the wheel is at the stern. There are many other artifacts to see, some authentic, some placed on the wreck divers in an attempt to make the wreck more interesting. In my opinion, the wreck is interesting enough with its own treasures and the added items only detract from it. Nevertheless, it's a great dive and should not be missed. |
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The Roy A. Jodrey may well be the signature dive of the 1000 Islands. A modern day, steel freighter, she was built in 1965 for the lucrative ore-carrying trade. She's a huge shipwreck at just over 600' in length. In November 1974, she was carrying 20,000 tons or iron ore pellets on their way to Detroit, MI when she struck Pullman Shoal. Taking on water, she tried to beach in shallow water near the US Coast Guard Station on Wellesley Island. Unfortunately, there was no shallow water to be found and she eventually filled with water and sank in a little over 200' of water. Today, the Jodrey lies against the wall of the channel just beneath the US Coast Guard station. The ship lies at a slight angle away from the wall so that the bow actually touches the wall, while the stern is quite some distance from the wall. The wreck lies upright with a list to starboard, making for an excellent multilevel dive. The top to the wheelhouse can be reached at about 140', while the spar deck is at about 180'. This is a very advanced dive due to current, depth, darkness and disorientation caused by the sheer size of the ship and her pronounced list. |
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The Henry C. Daryaw is another of my favorites. The Daryaw, originally named the Marinier, was built in France in 1919 and came to the Great Lakes in 1922. She was 216' in length and sports the unique feature of having twin screws (two propellers). Her name was changed in 1935. She ran aground in a dense fog on November 21, 1941 and sank near Brockville, ON. The Daryaw lies in about 90' of water, upside down. Her upside down orientation on the bottom makes it easy for divers to view both of her propellers. For those properly trained and equipped, penetration is possible by ducking under her hull where one will find ample space between the wreck and the riverbed. Aside from the dangers of wreck penetration, there is also strong current at this site. |
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