Sunken Treasures —
The Wrecks of the 1000 Islands

A.E. Vickery

This wooden three masted schooner (136.2 ft. x 26.2 ft. x 10.8 ft.) was built in 1861, and launched July 1861 at Three Mile Bay, NY as "J.B. Penfield". She was renamed A.E. Vickery Feb. 25, 1884 and sank August 17, 1889 when she struck a shoal while entering the "American Narrows" with a cargo of 21,000 bushels of corn destined for Wisers Distillery at Prescott, Ontario. The Vickery is located along side Rock Island Reef Light, where divers can follow a buoy line into a very quick surface current onto the shoal head in 25-30 ft. of water. The bow of the Vickery lies about 15 ft. off the shoal at a depth of 65 feet.

America

The America rests at a depth of 75 ft., upside down across the shipping channel from Jordstat Castle and Dark Island east of Mallorytown Landing. On June 20, 1932 this steel drill barge sank due to an explosion. The shoal side gives evidence of the explosion with blasted rock rubble along side. A guide line is normally buoyed immediately east of Black Buoy # 167 on the downstream side of the shipping lane.

Arizona

Arizona is located southwest of the ferry landing on the south shore of Wolfe Island near the red buoy. Built in 1868 Arizona caught fire December 4, 1922 and without adequate water hose protection was towed 1.5 miles upstream where her sea cocks were opened and she sank into 25 ft. of water. She was a wooden propeller barge with a 765 ton displacement with a length of 186 ft. and a beam of 33 ft.

Conestoga

Conestoga lies along side side the old canal south wall, a short distance upstream (west) from Cardinal, Ontario. Cardinal is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence river and only a few miles east of the Ogdensburg, New York bridge and south of the 401 highway. This ship was a 2,008 ton double planked propeller of 252 ft. x 36 ft. x 16 ft. deep. Launched July 6, 1878 she sank May 22, 1922. The bow is upstream and near shore with the vessel angled out into the river. Conestoga lies at about a 30 ft. depth with a quick current, her stack protruding from the surface of the water. The anchor of the Conestoga was retrieved around 1968 by a team of Americans who had dove on the Consestoga during a training dive. Others had apparently attemted to raise the anchor without success by inflating a uke innertube attached to it, and discovered during this training dive. These new American divers were intrigued by the challenge of salvaging the anchor where others had failed. A raft was constructed by welding a steel framework for eight 55 gallon drums, leaving a hole in the center for a winch and chain fall. The anchor was pulled up to the raft and towed around the eastern end of Gallop Island to the boat ramp at Lisbon Beach on the US side of the river. A tow truck was called from Ogdensburg and the treasure was delivered as an unexpected gift to what was then "The Anchor Down Motel and Restaurant," owned by a river pilot. Today the anchor can be found in front of the Grand View Restaurant and Motel in Ogdensburg, moved there by the new owner of the Anchor Down before its resale. The anchor of the Conestoga now rests in a place of honor at the base of three flag poles which to some small degree commemorate its history.

Eastcliffe Hall

This ship was a steel freighter weighing 3,335 ton, and was 343 ft. long. On July 14, 1970 the Eastcliffe with a cargo of "pig iron", struck a shoal at 4 a.m. and sank within minutes with the loss of 9 lives, however their were 12 survivors. The forward superstructure (upstream) has been dynamited back into the forward hold to clear the site as a navigational hazard. Though the surface currents are quick it becomes less on the wrecks deck and the open holds provide sheilding from the currents. Eastcliffe Hall is located approximately 3/4 of a mile south of Crsler Marina, at Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario. The village is located on the south side of highway 2 between Morrisburg and Cornwall, Ontario and is a major tourist attraction and a "must see".

Fleur Marie

This Brigantine was built in 1850 at Lanoraie, Quebec and was listed as 155.61 tons and was 92.5 ft. x 20.1 ft. x 8.7 ft., carvel style with a square stern. Fleur Marie had become a considerable eyesore abandoned at the docks of Prescott and after a fire on board, she was sentenced to be scuttled in mid channel. She sits in 52 ft. of depth with a quick surface current and on a rock/sand bottom. Located south of the "Windmill" the site lies on the American side of the river east of Prescott, Ontario and Ogdensburg, New York. Though reported to be off the "Windmill" it was found upstream (west) from buoy 131B and downstream from the Prescott water front.

Harvey J Kendall

The Harvey J Kendall was launched April 10, 1892 at Marine City, (Lake St. Clair area) Michigan. At 141.6 ft. x 31ft. x 9 ft., this wooden steam barge was converted to a self unloading freighter in 1917 at Ogdensburg NY. Your diving visit will find the railroad tracks inside the holds from the self unloading mechanism and of interest is the large boiler that remains from the salvaging attempts. Located in Button Bay, southeast side of Wolfe Island, Cape Vincent ferry landing and Hinckley Flats. The Kendall was scuttled in Button Bay just across from Cape Vincent NY and is a shallow dive.

Henry C. Daryaw

This 219 ft. x 35 ft. x 13 ft. steel freighter built in France in 1919 suffered an unforgiving gash on her starboard side running over a shoal. The bow area has a number of items of interest to divers and many enjoy a visit up to the keel of the Daryawand do a "keel walk". This area lets you view the gash in her bottom that sent her to her fate. Located upstream from the Brockville "narrows", the Daryaw rests upside down at a depth of 95 ft. with a very quick surface current.Divers are continually impressed with the large twin props and rudder that meet them as they descend the buoy line.

Iroquois

Built in 1759 by the French as "Iroquois", (L'Iroqouis), at Maitland Ontario, she was captured by the British at the battle of Fort de Levis near Prescott, Ontario. She was pressed into British service under the name "Anson" and while delivering winter supplies to the lake forts she struck a shoal and wintered near Niagara Shoals at Fishers Landing. The crew wintered on the nearby island to salvage her in the spring, however it is thought she was pushed into deeper water and beyond reach by spring ice. Iroquois remains a fragile rib cage resting near the foot of Niagara Shoal with her stern in 65 ft. of water and her bow in 80 ft.on a firm sand bottom.

Islander

This sidewheel steamer was built in Rochester, N.Y. in 1871 and launched as James H. Kelly later changed to John Thorn. The Islander measured 125 ft. x 20 ft. x 7 ft. and weighed 118 gross tons. As well as a regular mail carrier between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, the Islander began island and river tours on July 31, 1893. The Islander burnt on Sept. 16, 1909 while at dock at Alexandria Bay. Since the tragedy the Islander has become a favorite dive site for many divers. The Islander is located just off the shoreline of Alexandria Bay. She is angled slightly upstream with a very slight current, which makes this a very pleasurable dive. The stern is in 15 ft. of water with the bow in 60 ft.. The best access to the wreck is to park in the town parking lot in front of the pavilion, just west of the hospital.

J.B. King

The "King" was a 140 ft. wooden drill barge owned by John P. Porter and sons of St. Catherines. She was engaged in drilling and blasting to deepen the "narrows" to 27 ft. when she was struck by lightening and exploded June 26, 1930. U.S. Revenue Cutter "Succor" (CG 211) was patrolling nearby and heard the explosion and racing to the scene recovered 10 of the total 11 that survived out of a total 43 that had been on board. The site is just north of Cockburn Island in quick current and runs from 40 ft. to 155 ft. of depth at the edge of the downstream lane of the shipping channel.

Keystorm

Built in 1908 in Wellsend, England this 2300 ton steamer called "Keystone", (256 ft. x43 ft.) was carrying a cargo of 2230 tons of Bituminous coal from Genesee Dock at Charlotte N.Y. under the command of Capt. L Daigault. Forty five minutes past Alexandria Bay in dense fog on Oct. 12, 1912 she crossed over Outer Scow island Shoal and within minutes sank without a fatality. One of Ontario's premier wrecks and favorite of many divers, this steel freighter lies south of the shipping channel off Mallorytown Landing west of Brockville. The Keystorm sits in deeper water away from the shoal she hit.

Kingshorn

April 27, 1897, the tug Hiram A Wallker under Captain Boyd had seven barges under tow in the American channel near Thousand Island Park. She was caught in a storm losing barges on the south shore and 2 barges at Johnston's light opposite the park. With four barges left theWalker headed for Grenadier Island where the Captain of the Kingshorn reported his craft leaking badly. The Walker headed for Rockport with the injured barge however lost her 1/2 mile from Rockport in 90 ft. of water. Located directly in front of the Customs Office and Andress Marina/Rockport Dive Center at Rockport, this wooden vessel sits in 90 ft. of water and unfortunately in the middle of the small boat shipping channel. A buoy is maintained by the Rockport DiveCenter and Air Station.

Lillie Parsons

A 2 masted "Fore and Aft" rigged centerboard schooner built in Tonawanda N.Y. in 1868, she was sailing with 500 tons of coal destined for Brockville when on August 5, 1877 a sudden squall shifted her cargo and pinned her against an island letting her take water, capsizing and sinking her. The large rudder sits proudly upstream with a broad square stern resting on the rock ledges that support her. The masts jutt from beneath her and run out into the channel, while a visit to the vessels bottom shows the drop center board secured in the casing midship. Located on the upstream/channel side of Sparrow Island in the Brockville "narrows". The "Lillie" is one of Ontario's most famous wrecks. Accessing the site from the corner of Sparrow Island at the anchor on shore, one can follow the chain to the bow or swim into the current and down the island contour to follow the island profile upstream to the rudder.

Loblaws Wreck

This wooden hull sits off Ogdensburg's waterfront at about a 52 ft. depth with a noticable current. Lying with the current the vessel is about 130 ft. x24 ft. x 8 ft. with some decking remaining however no rudder or "bow spirit". Burnt to the water line, it now sits about 8 ft. high on a firm clay/silt bottom. This site is about halfway between the site of the Rothesay and the Canadian Coast Guard Station directly in front of the large brick chimney on the Ogdensburg shore and south of the downstream channel.

Maggie L

The schooner "Maggie L" was built in 1889 at Picton, Ontario by the Redmond ship builders. She suffered a fatal blow June, 1927 when she cut across the channel headed towards the harbor at Clayton NY, sailing into the path of the steel freighter "Keyvive". With her bow severed, she sank in 75 ft. of water.

Muscallonge

This steamer was originally lauched at Port Huron, Michigan April 23, 1896 named Vigilant. In 1913 she was renamed Musallonge. She was 128 ft. x 24.5 ft. x 12 ft. beam and 372 tons. While towing the barge Hudson with a cargo of crude oil from Montreal to Toronto on August 15, 1936 she caught fire while approaching Brockville. Attempts to save her with a fire pumper from Brockville failed as the Muscallonge's fuel tanks exploded. The "Muskie" now sits at a depth of nearly 100 feet on a firm clay bottom, about 300 feet off the Brockville shoreline, perpendicular to the shore.

Oconta

Located across the channel from the "A.E. Vickery". This dive site is normally accessed by anchoring in very shallow water alongside the concrete light abutment, R # 214 and following the shoal contour down where you will encounter her at a depth of 180 ft. with the stern section deeper at 200 ft. There remains a question as to whether there is one or two wrecks at this site. This site is not recommended for novice divers.

Robert Gaskin

Originally a three masted wooden barque the Robert Gaskin was launched at Kingston, Ontario on April 21, 1863, at 132.6 ft. x 26.3 ft. x 11.3 ft. with a cargo capacity of 20,000 bushels. In 1889 the Gaskin was being used as a salvage barge to help salvage the railroad ferry Armstrong that had sunk. During the process the Gaskin actually sank three times, the third time bringing it to its final resting place. A large anchor is located off the bow towards shore about 40 ft. from the Gaskin. Almost a must for visiting divers, the Robert Gaskin sits a half mile downstream from the Brockville waterfront and river focal point, Blockhouse Island and lies perpendicular to the current at a 55 ft. depth at the bow, and 70 ft. at the stern which sticks out towards the channel and shipping lane. The upstream shipping channel is very close to the stern, giving rise to a heightened need for caution.

Rothesay

Launched February 2, 1867 at St. John, New Brunswick, this 193 ft. x 28.8 ft. x 7.9 ft. twin side-wheeler was relocated to service the Montreal to Prescott run. She met her fate September, 2 1889 by colliding with the American tug "Myra". In 1901 a group from the Royal Military College, Kingston used this wreck for explosives practice which flattened her mid section. Her stern and bow remain relatively intact. The rope from shore meets Rothesay about the midsection near the paddlewheels where you can still view the rocker arm and paddles outlined. The bottom here is firm with weed growth betwwen Rothesay and the shore, however the site has little current, making it an enjoyable recreational dive. One of the most famous wreck sites of the 1000 Islands, Rothesay lies at the west edge of Prescott, Ontario, south of Highway #2. This site is easily visited from shore. A park/picnic area and staircase to the river's edge leads you to a shore entry where divers follow a rope system to the wreck.

Roy A. Jodery

This is a very deep wreck site and not recommended for recreational divers. This wreck has claimed the lives of several divers who were not prepared for the challenge. This relatively modern steel freighter (over 700 ft. long) of Algoma Steel Ore Company was lost Nov. 20, 1972, after striking a shoal off Alexandria Bay, NY. She attempted to beach herself on the south shoreline of Wellesley Island. This site is located on the south shoreline of Wellesley Island at the Coast Guard Station where she sits with her stern in 242 ft. of water and her bow at 150 ft.

Sir Robert Peel

The Canadian steamer SIR ROBERT PEEL was built at Brockville about 1837. On a dark and rainy night of May 30, 1838 under the command of John B. Armstrong, the Peel was taking on wood at McDonnell's Wharf, in the southern channel of the St. Lawrence River just above Alexandria Bay. She was on her way from Brockville to Toronto with nineteen passengers and 20,000 Pound Sterling, payroll for the troops in the Upper Province. A company of men, allegedly led by the infamous pirate "Captain Bill Johnson," rushed on board, shouting "Remember the Caroline!" They were disguised as Native American savages, armed with muskets and bayonets. The passengers and crew were ordered ashore as the ship was set ablaze and pushed out into the river. The sunken hull remains there today, a popular attraction of scuba diving tourists and history buffs. The "Peel" is located near the 1000 Islands Bridge, sitting in 120-135 ft. of water with her boiler sitting in about 80 ft. of water.

St. Louis

This was a 599 ton schooner barge built in 1864 and sunk Feb. 18th 1914. St. Louis is a popular training site for many scuba divers. She is located off the shore waterfront, east end Cape Vincent. She is located close to shore with depths close to 40 ft. and is near the boat ramp.

Wee Hawk

The Wee Hawk (sometimes mistakenly called the Kitty Hawk), is accessed off Highway #2 just 1/2 mile west of Cardinal, Ontario. This wreck's hull sits just west of lock 28, upstream 1/4 mile from the Conestoga. Near lock 28, this site has become a popular picnic area. Diver access into the water is at the closed lock gate just east of the wreck. While not an attractive dive site, it has a number of attributes that make it a popular dive training site. Penetration should not be attempted without considerable training and experience. The silt inside churns up very easily and visibility is very poor.

Wolfe Islander II

This 164 ft. long ferry was built in Collingwood, Ontario in 1946 and named "Ottawa Maybrook." It was originally intended to be sent to China as a gift, but minds were changed due to the political climate as China's communist leadership gained power. She was then converted to a car ferry and renamed The Wolfe Islander II, servicing the Wolfe Island to Kingston route for many years. Resting in 80 ft. of water, she was intentionally sunk September 21, 1985 as a diving site, and is normally buoyed for visitor divers.