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1812 SHIPWRECK: DIVERS ARE PREPARING TO GO INTO THE WATER OFF KINGSTON HARBOUR IN SEARCH OF SUNKEN TREASURE.
June 04, 2009
DIVERS ARE PREPARING TO GO INTO THE WATER OFF KINGSTON HARBOUR IN SEARCH OF SUNKEN TREASURE. BUT IT'S A HISTORY MAKING VENTURE, NOT MONEY MAKING. THEY'RE LOOKING TO VERIFY THE EXISTENCE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SHIPS FROM "THE WAR OF 1812." THE STORY FROM NEWSWATCH'S CHRIS HARVEY.
DIVERS ARE PRACTICING FOR A SPECIAL MISSION...TRYING TO IDENTIFY ONE OF THE MISSING WARSHIPS FROM THE KINGSTON-BASED FLEET OF THE WAR OF 1812. MIKE HILL: " WE HAVE A STRONG SUSPICION THAT THE WRECK WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE SITE WE'RE SURVEYING PROBABLY BELONGS TO THE GENERAL WOLFE, OR THE MONTREAL AS SHE WAS KNOWN IN DIFFERENT TIMES." THIS MODEL DEPICTS THE 32 METER LONG SLOOP, HMS WOLFE. LATER NAMED THE MONTREAL, IT WAS THE CANADIAN-MADE FLAGSHIP OF JAMES YEO, COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH FORCES DURING THE AMERICAN INVASION OF CANADA. DIVERS MUST BE SPECIALLY TRAINED TO WORK NEAR THE VALUABLE WRECK. DIANNE GROLL: "YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HOVER ABOVE THE STRUCTURE AND NOT TOUCH IT AND NOT STIR THINGS UP. IT'S ALL HANDS OFF. YOU GO CLOSE TO THE WRECK BUT YOU NEVER TOUCH IT UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TAKE A WOOD SAMPLE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS PARKS WILL BE DOING. OTHERWISE IT'S REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING." IN ORDER TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY A WRECK, DIVERS HAVE TO BE TRAINED IN THE SPECIAL TECHNIQUES USED IN GATHERING MEASUREMENTS OF THE STRUCTURE. DIANNE GROLL "SO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, HOW TO DO IT AND THEN PRACTICE IT IN WATER CIRCUMSTANCES." DIVERS WILL BE TRAINING OFF THE OLYMPIC HARBOUR FOR THE JUNE 13TH QUEST TO GATHER PROOF THAT THE 200 YEAR OLD WRECK IS REALLY THE HMS WOLFE.... LYING IN 50 FEET OF WATER OFF THE WESTERN POINT OF CEDAR ISLAND. MIKE HILL: "THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDE WILL FINISH UP IN A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE REPORT AND IT WILL GO INTO THE ARCHIVES, IT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ANYBODY WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN THE WAR AND IN THE MARITIME ACTIVITIES DURING THE WAR." HILL AND GROLL WILL NOT RECOVER ANY OF THE WRECKAGE -- BUT HOPE THE INFORMATION THEY GATHER WILL MAKE RESIDENTS MORE AWARE OF THE STRATEGIC MILITARY ROLE THAT KINGSTON PLAYED 200 YEARS AGO. CHRIS HARVEY, CKWS NEWSWATCH, KINGSTON.
AS MANY AS 20 DIVERS WILL TAKE PART IN THE SEARCH AND DISCOVERY MISSION.
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