Human Remains on the Algoma Site

[Scott A McWilliam]

This link will take you to a short article on the subject of human remains on shipwreck sites and the Algoma site in particular.

Human Remains on the Algoma Site

1883-to November 5 th , 1885, fourteen survivors and forty-six fatalities. A very long time ago I did quite a bit of diving on the Algoma site at Isle Royale. In 1985 we made a documentary on the site for PBS. If you find this story interesting and

www.academia.edu

Discussion is welcome.

 

[Jared0425]

I've seen the human remains on the tug Fred Lee and the steamer Frank Goodyear disappear over a 11 year period. We figured out that the Zebra and Quagga mussels will absorb the calcium in the bones to make their shells. Plus silt will build up in deep water sites to the point that whatever human remains did not get absorbed by the mussels, will be buried deep enough to avoid detection by divers.

Superior doesn't have the calcium absorbing mussels, but the silt builds roughly 3/4 of an inch a year.

 

[Scott A McWilliam]

I agree and I think your observations are spot on. Human remains on shipwrecks are a non-issue in the States but have been made into an issue in Ontario by a small group of archaeologists/strokes with "control" issues. They seek to elevate their personal importance and status by restricting access to shipwreck sites that "may" contain human remains. Divers wishing to dive this type of site would require a licence and would have to do pro bono research and generate reports for the Province of Ontario to dive the site.

If you take a closer look at what they are doing they are principally shore divers and rarely see a hundred feet of water. Over the last thirty years as far as I know one, possibly two archaeologists besides myself, in the Province have ever encountered human remains underwear.

This is now the thirteenth year that this group has failed to get the change in legislation they seek.

In my view, they will never succeed. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees all Canadians the right to travel freely within Canada. Premier Doug Ford discovered this when during the pandemic, he ordered the Ontario Provincial Police to set up check points and stop or restrict travel into Ontario. It is unlawful, the police said no thank you and Ford is generally regarded as playing the fool in the matter. Canada has a smaller population and GNP than the United States but it is a much larger country and unlike the US much less of the country is private property. Most of Canada is Crown Land, public property and Canadians recognize the importance of unrestricted right to access these lands. The law underwater is the same as the law above.