One dive left

[Chuck_Northrup]

Two ships which capsized in Lake Ontario.  They have been on my "to do" list ever since I first heard about them 

They sank during the War of 1812 and are in very good condition.  I don't believe they have ever been dove but I could be mistaken.  They rest in +300ft of water which by today's standards is a relatively "easy" dive.  Cousteau and the submerged cultural resources have both had ROV's and Minisubs down there so they are fairly well documented 

I am kind of a history buff so the idea of seeing these wrecks fascinates me.  To dive on a wreck with cutlasses, canons and muskets...WAY COOL  8)

I was in upstate New York teaching a Advanced Narcosis and Decompression Sickness class last year and I was able to dive the Land Tortoise which is the oldest military wreck in US waters, that sank during the French and Indian War I believe.  Kind of neat but nothing compared to the Hamilton and Scourge 

Here is a link I found with some more info:

[john j]

Very nice.  Any laws that prohibit diving on them?

[Chuck_Northrup]

The city of Hamilton, Canada, owns the wrecks...that being the case they are probably under the same law CCR diver mentioned  :'(  The good news is that I doubt any "surviving family members" are still around to make a stink about diving it (like the Fitz).  It is my understanding that there are still remains (bones) at the site.

This thread got me motivated though so I did send off a few emails to get more information.  If things go well I might try to set up a trip to dive them next year.  Let me know if you are interested 

[Freedive WI]

Chuck,
I thought that some tech divers had already dove those on the sly- to avoid prosecution.

I also know of a mutual friend who has been trying to get access to dive them by legal means. They've been at it for a while but it's locked up pretty tight from what I understand.

As far as last dives go, I understand that the competitive freedivers who live in Hawaii have had whales swim by their training lines when they're practicing. It sounds pretty cool to be coming back up from the blue and have a whale's song resonate through your chest and all of your body's air spaces as it passes by lifting it's fin just high enough out of the way as not to hit you.  8)

Next "big" dive that I'm waiting for will happen when my daughter gets old enough to use her own monofin.

Jon

[rcojr]

The Ontario Legislative Assembly has past an amendment to the Ontario Heritage Act (Bill 60) designed to inprove protection of the historic shipwreck sites.
The bill gives the Ministry of Culture clear regulatory authority over shipwreck sites and the ability to give "special" designation to some sites. The designation was also given to two specific sites. the Hamilton and Scouge in Lake Ontario and the Edmond Fitzgerald in Lake Superior.
Diving on "Special" shipwrecks is now prohibited without an Archaeologic licence. You can't dive within 500 meters without a licence. You can't operate a manned or unmanned submersible with a licence. you can't operate a side scan sonar or underwater camera without a licence.
Doing so may result in fines up to $1,000,000 

[rcojr]

Since the purpose is to keep people off these sites you can guess your chances of getting a licence.
This is the way that it is reported in the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History newsletter. Dated May-June 2005.
There web site doesn't have the latest newsletter up but there site is org.
Being a real Great Lakes Shipwreck Diver I track these things. And dispite what others may say about my "motives" and "politics" I am just trying to educate.

[Chuck_Northrup]

I have been in email contact with some of the Ministries "in charge" of the wreck and all I can say for my efforts thus far is I have been very politely told to pi$$ off  : 

They have sent me pages and pages of info to sift through...maybe I can find a loop hole 

If not I guess I can try what the other divers exploring the wreck have done.  Put down riggers and poles on the dive boat and sneak in...anyone want to go on a fishing trip to Lake Ontario? >

[rcojr]

Chuck
You are a better salesman than me, if you can convince the authorities that you are fishing with downriggers while anchored in one spot. ;D