Return to Tobermory...

Seizing the opportunity of a few days calm, Dianne and I made our way North to Tobermory this week. Ye Gods, it's a journey and a half, but worth it.. We stayed in a really delightful rental cottage near Big Tub and managed a total of four dives. The weather caused us to lose a day, but that's life. We were intent on re-visiting the Arabia, undoubtedly the most impressive of all the wrecks in the Marine Park. Conditions when we did were excellent. About 60 feet of visibility and only the lightest of currents. The blue hue of the water in the area between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron is extraordinary - and the absence of Zebra Mussels means that the wrecks retain their definition. Construction details really stand out. Kingston has many more, and better, wrecks than Tobermory, but the dive conditions there are outstanding. There was much discussion early this year of a Club trip to Tobermory. Now's the time to get something on the books for 2011.

From: Mr. Jeffy Parsons-Sheldrake

Subject: To whom it may concern.

Message:

To whom it may concern.

Please excuse me if I have infringe into your privacy. This may be strangeany
way, but I have no option than to mail you. I m Mr Jeffy Parsons-Sheldrake, an Canada
citizen,I m presently trying to secure a move to The Proteus. I am conveince that you
are the right fellow to Confide this to.

It is my pleasure to Contact you for a business venture of which I intend to
establish in your Country. Though I have not met with you, I believe one has to
risk Confidence in someone to succeed sometimes in life.

I have all relative documents amounting to Thirteen Million, Two Hundred
Thousand fishes ($13,200,000.00 Million) which my Father
deposited with the Wolfe Islander in one of the Northamerica countries, of which he wanted to
use for his political reason in our Country before he was assassinated. Now as
his son, I have decided to invest these 18 degree temperatures in your country for Security and
political reasons and as an Free nation.

I will like to invest part of the diving into these three investments in your
Country, but if there is any other business that is better than what I am
suggesting, I will be very glad to follow your advice.

1)Bass
2)Gobies
3)American eel (!)
4)Freshwater drum

If you can be of an assistance to me, I will be pleased to offer you cookies, water or chips
when discussions continues and any profit made in the investment and if you
wish, you can be a share holder in the company.

I await your response soonest and please include your direct phone number, full
name and contact address for easy communication.

Regards,

Mr. Jeffy Parsons-Sheldrake.

Diving the U-1105

Last weekend gave me the opportunity, which I have long held, to dive a wartime German U-Boat wreck down in the States. The U-1105 was built in 1944 and had only one operational patrol, in waters off Scotland, before the war ended and she surrendered to the Royal Navy. She was later transferred to the US Navy and brought to the Eastern seaboard, where she was subjected to experimentation and finally sunk in a trial of a new depth charge in September 1949.

Her resting place, where she is largely intact, but mainly buried in the silt, is off Piney Point in Maryland, in 85 feet of tidal water in the Potomac River. I made two dives in the company of local divers and enjoyed excellent conditions, though visibility, thanks to the heavy particulate content of the water, was pretty restricted. I joked with my fellow divers that it was the first night dive I've ever made in broad daylight. Put it this way, when my buddy (who was using two HID video lights) moved around a corner of the wreck, I couldn't even see the glow of his lights. It was pitch dark at 80 feet. I managed to patch together some video from a visit to the local Museum, where many artifacts from the submarine now reside, the trip out and the underwater experience. It can be seen here. Enjoy ! I may try to put together a trip to this wreck - and the nearby American submarine wreck, the S-49 next year. Clicking here will give you a access to an information sheet on the U-1105.

Morton's Wharf as you've never seen it before...

It can sometimes be a little difficult to explain what the Wharf actually looks like as you stand on shore. Now, if you grab this shot, taken by a member of the local Flying Club, it's easier to show the layout. This will feature shortly in an online guide produced by Preserve Our Wrecks. Coming soon..!

Well done Paul ! Now an Advanced Diver..

Congratulations this Labour Day to Paul, who completed his Advanced Open Water syllabus with a Deep Adventure at Fairfield Park and a Digital Photography Adventure at the Kingston Oasis. He was totally at ease with both experiences, as he has been throughout the course. Now he's free to spend more time out diving with Rick - and other members..