David
Mekker, a long-standing
member of the Niagara Divers' Association and indisputably its most
avid
diver, is Chair of Shipwrecks/2001. He has held that position for
the last five years, and has been instrumental in bringing what began
as
a small show to the successful world-class event it is today.
Rick Neilson was certified in 1971. For three years starting in 1980 he was part owner and operator of a dive-charter boat in Kingston. Wanting to know more about the wrecks, Rick began to do a little research and quickly realized that there were others out there still to be found. In 1980 Rick was encouraged by finding the Munson and the graveyard wreck known as the Mapleglen, amongst others. 1980 was also the year that Preserve Our Wrecks was formed. Rick was one of the original
members, and is still actively involved, for the most part helping to place mooring blocks at the various wreck sites.
Built in
1898
at St. Joseph de Levis, Quebec by the Davie Shipbuilding Company, her
dimensions
were 177.5 feet long by 35 feet wide, with a depth of hold of 12.5
feet,
and a registered tonnage of 680. For the most part she had an
uneventful
career, usually serving in the grain and coal trade on Lake Ontario and
the St. Lawrence River. While owned by the Montreal Transportation
Company
she sank in the St. Lawrence near Alexandria Bay in 1911, but was
raised
and rebuilt. In 1926 she was overhauled at Kingston. By 1931 she was
employed
by the Pyke Wrecking and Salvage Company in the coal carrying trade and
occasionally as a salvage lighter. On the morning of 18th of April,
1945,
after being loaded with 1148 tons of coal, she departed Oswego harbour
in tow of the tug Salvage Prince and headed for Kingston. After passing
the Main Ducks she began to leak and finally rolled over and sank. Her
four man crew was picked up by the tug.