Hunting New England Shipwrecks

In August 2003, Palmer Sargent, A.J. Ridley and I enjoyed a one-week wreck diving vacation in Nova Scotia. Our diving operations and accommodations were coordinated by Terry Dwyer of Atlantic Dive Tours in Halifax. Fate dealt us a week of foggy weather, but we didn't let that dampen our spirits, and we did our diving and sightseeing anyway. Because of the location, weather and jagged coastline, the waters around Nova Scotia contain more shipwrecks than any other part of North America. We went to Nova Scotia to dive the wrecks, but in addition to the diving, there were lots of other things to see and do.

We spent the first few days around Halifax, where we dived local wrecks in the mornings and did sightseeing in the afternoons. Halifax is a sophisticated and fun city. Later in the week, we joined up with a group of Canadian divers on rugged Cape Breton Island (the northern part of Nova Scotia) and spent a day diving wrecks at a remote and beautiful place called Saint Paul Island. All in all, the trip was great fun and we made some new friends. Below are some of the pictures we took. Click on the thumbnails to view larger images in a new window. Close the window to return here.


To help you get oriented, here's a map ofNova Scotia	We arrived on a ferry in a morning fog	Here's the ferry dock at Digby, note the Bay of Fundy's huge tide range

We stayed for several days at the Sheraton on the Halifax waterfront	And visited the Alexander Keith brewery	The ocean tugs of Halifax are built to handle the stormy North Atlantic

These tugs are waiting for a call	Note the sturdy constr- uction and the size	We visited the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax

Here's Palmer by a torpedo in the musum	And here's Dave checking out a mine	This is a breeches buoy

Here's a model of the famous Halifax tug Foundation Franklin	And here's a model of a triple-expansion steam engine	All wreck divers would love to find a nice builder's plaque

Here's an engine-order telegraph - many were made by Chadburn	A diver's hardhat	And some tackle blocks and lines

The SS Atlantic was wrecked near Halifax in 1873	Here's a picture of the Atlantic wreck	Over 500 people died in the Atlantic disaster

We dived the HMS Tribune wreck - sunk near Halifax in 1797	And we dived the Saguenay, deliberately sunk near Lunenburg	Cape Breton Island is the rugged northern part of Nova Scotia

After several days in Halifax, we drove to Cape Breton in the fog	The Strait of Canso separates Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia	Everyone uses the Canso Causway to cross the Strait

This is the Englishtown ferry in the far north	Divers get to Saint Paul Island on a serious lobster boat from Dingwall	We stayed for several days at this bunkhouse/ museum in Dingwall

The museum in Dingwall is full of shipwreck goodies	Here's a wreck chart of Halifax Harbour	And here's a display of Saint Paul Island pictures and artifacts

After 3 hours of steaming this was our first view of Saint Paul	First we unloaded our small inflatable	Saint Paul Island is small and has been uninhabited for many years

Former Saint Paul resident Ron Lang returned for his first visit in 60 years	Here's Palmer adjusting Terry's neck seal	And two divers preparing to dive on a wreck

There were 14 people on the boat	We used the small inflatable to shuttle people to the island	Here's Ron going "home" for a 3-hour visit

Thousands of shipwreck victims are buried on Saint Paul	The big inflatable was our diver chase boat	Here's Palmer relaxing

And Sam, our divemaster	Saint Paul's cliffs make the island almost inaccessable	Here's Brian from Maine

And Craig and company	Here's John and Captain Scott	Cape Bretoner Harvey climbs back aboard

Dave, Sam, Steve and Palmer - just back from Saint Paul	Sam worked hard all day	Palmer, Terry and Dave at the Dingwall museum

The day we left for home, the fog lifted	This good boy keeps watch over the bunkhouse	Even the bunkhouse looks better in the sun

We drove south through Cape Breton Highlands National Park	The dramatic coastal road is called the Cabot Trail	Palmer enjoys the view

Heading south over the causway and back home	That's the schooner Bluenose on the license plate	We had a great time and hope to go back again soon!