kidsdream
Contributor
I originally posted this report in the Great Lakes Wrecking crew section as a response to another divers post. Based on the mainly positive feedback I received on my dive report on the stalker, I thoughts I would repost this report here.
One of 8 Ships lost on Lake Huron to the November storm of 1913, the Wexford is the only ship sitting fully upright.
All aboard the Wexford were lost when the ship foundered. It was not until 2000 an Ontario fisherman discovered the wreck.
As it is nearly 40 miles from the Michigan shoreline and the wreck is located in the southeast portion of Lake Huron(only small towns dot the Canadian coast at this point); this wreck has seen relatively few visitors the 8 years since its discovery. The weather gods were with us as we made the 2 hour trek to dive this wreck on Friday August 1st. Gary at Rec & Tec runs a couple of trips each year out this site Rec and Tec Scuba Dive Charters - Lexington Michigan, Thumb area Preserve, Sanilac Preserve. We had perfect conditions both topside and below the surface to explore the Wexford.
Built in 1883 in England this rugged old girl sits on the bottom at 80'.
The vis was 25-40', but as usual; the particulate and algae related "scubbage" made for challenging UW photography. Coming down the line at 40' the wreck came into view.
The ship was constructed with a main/top deck, a "tween" deck and then the deep cargo holds.
Looking back from the Tween Deck
Zebra Mussels cover nearly every inch of this wreck. Here my buddy Bob, a huge man floats effortlessly along the outer ring of the middle deck.
Light permeates this wreck so that there is minimal need to run any line.
Toward the Stern she shows more damage, most likely she went down hard on the stern. This hatch still had a gage of some sort mounted.
In the stern things became a lot tighter (and darker) - a bit challenging to negotiate with my camera.
Coming back to the down-line at the bow, the two big anchors hang in the same place they did when this ship left port so long a go.
Bob, a gentle giant was a great buddy on this dive (as usual). This was really needed as on the second dive (we made two dives on the Wexford), my camera and wrist mounted canister light head became totally entangled with the granny line where it was tied into the mooring line. While I was waiting at the mooring line for Bob, another dive came by and crossed over the granny line; becoming totally entangled. I was unaware of this until I was being dragged down the mooring line - without a reg in my mouth. As it was so calm I was just floating on the surface at the time without my reg in place.
Bob extricated the other diver and myself, but what a clusterf#*k. Good guy that Bob.
Take care and be safe out there.
One of 8 Ships lost on Lake Huron to the November storm of 1913, the Wexford is the only ship sitting fully upright.
All aboard the Wexford were lost when the ship foundered. It was not until 2000 an Ontario fisherman discovered the wreck.
As it is nearly 40 miles from the Michigan shoreline and the wreck is located in the southeast portion of Lake Huron(only small towns dot the Canadian coast at this point); this wreck has seen relatively few visitors the 8 years since its discovery. The weather gods were with us as we made the 2 hour trek to dive this wreck on Friday August 1st. Gary at Rec & Tec runs a couple of trips each year out this site Rec and Tec Scuba Dive Charters - Lexington Michigan, Thumb area Preserve, Sanilac Preserve. We had perfect conditions both topside and below the surface to explore the Wexford.
Built in 1883 in England this rugged old girl sits on the bottom at 80'.
The vis was 25-40', but as usual; the particulate and algae related "scubbage" made for challenging UW photography. Coming down the line at 40' the wreck came into view.
The ship was constructed with a main/top deck, a "tween" deck and then the deep cargo holds.
Looking back from the Tween Deck
Zebra Mussels cover nearly every inch of this wreck. Here my buddy Bob, a huge man floats effortlessly along the outer ring of the middle deck.
Light permeates this wreck so that there is minimal need to run any line.
Toward the Stern she shows more damage, most likely she went down hard on the stern. This hatch still had a gage of some sort mounted.
In the stern things became a lot tighter (and darker) - a bit challenging to negotiate with my camera.
Coming back to the down-line at the bow, the two big anchors hang in the same place they did when this ship left port so long a go.
Bob, a gentle giant was a great buddy on this dive (as usual). This was really needed as on the second dive (we made two dives on the Wexford), my camera and wrist mounted canister light head became totally entangled with the granny line where it was tied into the mooring line. While I was waiting at the mooring line for Bob, another dive came by and crossed over the granny line; becoming totally entangled. I was unaware of this until I was being dragged down the mooring line - without a reg in my mouth. As it was so calm I was just floating on the surface at the time without my reg in place.
Bob extricated the other diver and myself, but what a clusterf#*k. Good guy that Bob.
Take care and be safe out there.
