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Wreck Course & The Empress of Ireland


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#1 shadragon

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 06:40 AM

Got in half my Wreck diving course this last weekend. Got into the classroom on Friday night where we did the usual paperwork, went over the books and streamlined gear before doing some reel work. Heavy rain and wind forced them to cancel the dives we had scheduled on Saturday. So I killed the day by going to see a couple of films (The Kingdom, 30 Days of Night), then out to dinner with friends. Sunday was blue skies and calm and we got out on a small boat on to the Costarican Trader. It ran aground and the bow snapped off and sank in 80' of water (You can see where it split apart in the picture).

Costarican_Trader.jpg

Quite a large freighter with huge cathedral like holds. Viz was fairly decent for the area at 20' and little current. Amazing to see 1" steel plating torn like paper. The fish there had no fear. Many of them came within an inch or two of my mask and stared deeply into my dark green eyes. They must have been female... :P

This was an orientation / navigation dive so no penetrations. That will come next weekend when I return to the HMCS Saguenay next weekend. Looking forward to that as it was prepared for divers before it was sunk as an artificial reef... As an added incentive there is a full set of dive gear somewhere in the hull of the destroyer. The story as told to me: Two AOW divers with no wreck gear or training decided to go into the wreck last year. They got disorientated and separated. One had to ditch their rig in order to wriggle out of a small opening in the ships side. He ended up coming to the surface from 70' on a Spare Air. The other found a way out and got to the surface on fumes. :cool1:

Added later: On the drive back from the dive site I ended up behind a car with the Trailer Park boys filming a scene going down a road. Different experience seeing Bubbles after diving... :cool2:

Couple of pictures.

Costarican_Trader_21_Oct_07__3_.JPG

Costarican_Trader_21_Oct_07__4_.JPG
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#2 pir8

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 07:53 AM

Nice, Wreck is one of my favorites to teach around here.
Never say Never! Its almost as long a time as always!

#3 Basslet

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 08:05 AM

Nice, Wreck is one of my favorites to teach around here.

You teach it at Dutch? :cool1:

Seriously, I think I might like to take that class.

#4 pir8

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 10:29 AM

Nice, Wreck is one of my favorites to teach around here.

You teach it at Dutch? :lmao:

Seriously, I think I might like to take that class.

When possible I do the first 2 dives at Dutch and then the last 2 off a boat in the Ocean. Can't always get a boat so I can finish it at Dutch. Boats are getting scarce this time of year.
Never say Never! Its almost as long a time as always!

#5 shadragon

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 10:35 AM

Nice, Wreck is one of my favorites to teach around here.

Next time I go back to the Veronica and Shakem in Grenada I will make full use of the wreck course... :lmao: The Bianca C only if I can get my steels down there... WooHoo...
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#6 BubbleBoy

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 12:02 PM

I'm definitely up for a trip to the St. Lawrence Seaway next summer. It's only a 6 hour drive for me, and I think 3-4 full days of diving would be just about right. A lot of shops around here do group trips there, but, with the number of wreck divers on this site, maybe we should do a SD.com trip.
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#7 Basslet

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 12:48 PM

Boats are getting scarce this time of year.

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of next summer. :lmao:

#8 VADiver

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 01:06 PM

I hope to hit the St Lawrence and dive the Emperess. Poor viz and strong current but well worth I'm told.

#9 TraceMalin

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 01:11 PM

I hope to hit the St Lawrence and dive the Emperess. Poor viz and strong current but well worth I'm told.


I'll go.
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#10 pir8

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Posted 22 October 2007 - 02:21 PM

Boats are getting scarce this time of year.

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of next summer. :lmao:

Well of course I'll run another Wreck course or 3 next spring, summer & fall.
Never say Never! Its almost as long a time as always!

#11 PerroneFord

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 11:59 AM

I hope to hit the St Lawrence and dive the Emperess. Poor viz and strong current but well worth I'm told.


I'll go.


Ditto. Will I need mix?

#12 VADiver

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 12:21 PM

Trace, Perrone and Bob,

Cool...sounds like the begining of a dive trip. I'll ask around and look into the logistics of it. I think she is at 130' but I could be wrong. I'll do a search on TDS and see what I can find.

#13 pir8

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 01:04 PM

Sounds Good
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#14 shadragon

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 03:41 PM

The Empress is off the north shore of New Brunswick. She is in 75 - 140 feet of water, but strong currents and low viz make it a challenging dive. It is in sea water, but it is in the St. Lawrence river so constant current that never slacks completely. Note: It is a protected wreck and no artifact removal is allowed by law. It is comparable to the Bianca C in size.

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If you do want to come up let me know and I will put you in contact with some local guys who have done it before. Am sure they will be happy to guide and translate for you. Northern NB is French speaking. If you do come all this way don't miss Deer Island on the south shore and dive the Old Sow whirlpool (Largest in the world). With 4-6 knots of current you need a local familiar with conditions to guide you.
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#15 VADiver

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 04:04 PM

Simon,
Thanks for the info...I'll have to get in touch with the charters up that way and see when the best time to dive her is.

Though she is protected, you can still penetrate...right?




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