Limited Access to Tiller Wreck

[Ian]

Notice: There will be limited access to the Port Dalhousie Tiller wreck from May 14 to May 24th.

Parks Canada and ASI Group will be continuing the Hamilton & Scourge survey during this time period and will also be doing survey work (mostly High Definition filming) on the Tiller wreck during this time period. If the survey vessel is over the site there will be no room for any other boats as all diving will be conducted under ministry of labour regulations.

As our existing mooring system is not capable of handling the vessel being used (70 foot, 58 ton) we have been asked to tie it down for this period of time. We will be marking the stern and the bow with small jugs and light line so that the CCGS Griffon (234', 2212ton) may place a heavy block about 100' off the port bow for the survey vessel to use.

Unfortunately the Coast Guard is no longer allowed to place blocks for private moorings and can not leave this block for us to use. They plan on removing it as well as the Hamilton and Scourge blocks on the 23 & 24th. ASI Group has offered to place a block for us after the 24th. As many of you know, the system we have in place now lost 1/3 of it's capacity when the rebar pulled out of one of the three blocks.

I'll let everyone know when our line has been refloated and buoy attached. Ian

[Ian]

We got out to the Tiller Wreck tonight and got everything ready for the Coast Guard. Our mooring line has been pulled down and secured to the bottom. The bow and stern have been marked with white jugs and light line. An orange jug has been placed about 80 feet off the port bow and is clear of any shipwreck debris for at least a 50 foot radius. This is where the Coast Guard is going to set the heavy mooring block for the survey vessel.

If anyone happens to go to the wreck tomorrow, please DO NOT use any of these jugs to tie off to - they are light line and will break.

CCGS Griffon is en route to Weller and should arrive Wednesday morning and the blocks will be going out Wednesday and Thursday to all 3 shipwrecks. She will be returning the 23rd and removing the blocks on the 23rd and 24th. We will raise our line and install a buoy shortly after that. I'll let you know when it's up.

Ian

[Ian]

The 2009 Hamilton and Scourge + Tiller survey has been completed. The CCGS Griffon was back in town yesterday and removed the heavy moorings (7 in total) from all the vessels.

We got out this morning, untied and refloated the mooring line and attached one of our new "Tall Boy" mooring buoys complete with flashing solar light and internal radar reflector. Stands out like a sore thumb compared to the old style.

John Schertzer from Pearl Dive Charters ran Dave Gilchrist, Steve Rogers, my wife Barb and myself out. While I untangled and floated the mooring line, Barb and Dave inspected the wreck while Steve took photos. They also installed a small jug to the bow to help mark the wreck for when we go to place a new heavier mooring block in the near future. Please note that you CANNOT tie off to the small jug.

The survey group did a great job, we didn't see anything to even indicate that the were there.

Not only did John have the new buoy installed by the time we surfaced, there was already another boat there tied off and getting ready to dive.

There were some pictures taken of the new style buoy which I'll post here when I get them.

NOTSHIP C-906-09 Lake_Ontario - West end - Chart 2077 - 2009/05/24 Privately maintained orange and white mooring buoy marking an unidentified shipwreck in position: 43 14.769N 79 17.075W. Buoy is equipped with Flashing Amber light FL4s and 8" radar reflector.

[Chantelle]

Very cool, Ian. Thanks for the updates!