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 Diving in Ontario - Munson

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Dive site characteristics

Types Conditions Services Planning

Diving notes

On April 30, 1980, the barge Munson, based at Belleville has just finished the work at Kingston for launch of the Minnedosa. At the time of leave for Belleville, the barge was leaking water and sank quickly in Lake Ontario. No loss of life occured, but the cook who was preparing the the supper was not warned. He has able to get out while the barge was at a depth of 30 feet. The Munson was found in 1980 but dived after its publication in Hydrographic Services maps. The plate that was identifying the wreck was stolen in 1999 which launched the Bill 13 preventing sport diving on the wrecks in Ontario. The Munson is rectangular wood barge having two levels with 3 pillars rising up to 60 feet. After more than a century under water, the wreck is still in good condition. The site is well renown for the large number of objects that can been seen around the wreck. Tools, knifes, stove, ceramics, ustensiles, electric generator, tool bench are among the tools to see. The depth, the bottom dive time and the cold are factors to take into consideration while planning the dive. A dive lamp is highly recommended to see all the details of the wreck. Like all the shipwrecks in Ontario, the shipwreck is Ontario’s Goverment property and therefore it is stricly forbidden to take any objects.

Entry points

Note: directions are accurate as possible. It is recommended to go with someone who knows the site.

Site   Depth   Characteristics  Weather To display on Google map, click on .  1- Munson 93-111′    N44 12.533 W76 36.458 6 miles West of Kingston, just off Lemoine Point near the Kingston airport.  2- Effie Mae 55′    N44 09.000 W76 34.117 Off Nine Mile Point on Simcoe Island. Sunk by local divers near the Aloha.  3- Aloha 55′    N44 09.000 W76 34.117 Schooner barge sunk in 1917 off Mile Point, Simcoe Island, West of Kingston.  4- Horace Taber 20′    N44 10.025 W76 32.255' Three masted schooner barge sunk in 1917 off 9 Mile Point, Simcoe Island.  5- Dredge Islander 50′  Near Snake Island. Location is indicative.  6- Dupoint Salvage Scow 75′  Near Snake Island. Location is indicative.  7- Schooner Barge Augustus 60′  Near Snake Island. Location is indicative.  8- K.P.H. wreck 65′    N44 12.33 W76 31.50 Wreck located near the Kingston Psychiatric Hospital (KPH).  9- Portsmouth Olympic Harbour   At about 600′ (185m) from shore, you will find anchors on the first site and a Stacked hulls. Watch your air due to the distance to make in order to reach the site. 10- HMS St.Lawrence 30′  Shipwreck of 1812 located at wharf of Morton Street. At the right facing the lake, a bottling site and further on the right an old wharf. 11- Museum Wreck 50′  Facing the lake on the right of the parking lot, a bottling site can be visited. From the right corner of the parking lot, a old barge can be visited at a depth of 30′. From the left corner, a site of anchors can be visited at a depth of 35′. Near the shore from the parking lot, an old sunken wharf can be visited at a depth of 10 to 21′ deep. 12- William IV   Abandonned near Garden Island. 13- Hercules   Fire destroyed at Garden Island. 14- Highlander   Fire destroyed at Garden Island. 15- Hiram A. Galvin   Fire destroyed at Garden Island. 16- D.D. Galvin   Fire destroyed at Garden Island. 17- Prince Regent 30′    N44 13.800 W76 27.217 Located at Deadman Bay. Watch the intense boat traffic during summer. 18- Psyche 30′    N44 13.554 W76 25.043 Located at Deadman Bay. Watch the intense boat traffic during summer. 19- Wolfe Islander II 40-85′    N44 13.554 W76 25.043 3 miles East of Kingston.

Road directions

Approximative travel time : 3:00 hrs From highway 401, watch and take one of the exits 617 up to 619 leading to Kingston. For help, use the city map of Kingston.

Diver’s services

Services   Address        Phone        Description  Divercity Kingston 613 384-7074 charter Northern Tech Diver 4052 Bath Rd Kingston 613 634-8135 dive shop, rentals, air & charter Big Jims' Dive Charters 4 Bishop St., Kingston 613 389-4965 charter Dive Kingston Ontario 4000 Bath Rd., Kingston 613 321-6536 charter Limestone Dive Center 61 Yonge St., Kingston 613 547-3483 800 286-3483 adive shop, rentals, air & charter Archives and Collections Society 2, Gladstone Ave, Picton 613 476-1177 maritime history and conservation Marine Museum of the Great Lakes 55 Ontario, Str, Kingston 613 542-2261 maritime museum

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